Recycle Questions Need Answers

The recycling efforts of local jurisdictions or businesses can be well below what is required to adequately deal with today's grand consumption and waste.

We have come quite a long way with the recycling of much of the basic, large volume acceptable materials. These easily handled everyday items are paper, cardboard, cans, glass bottles and numbered plastics. The procedure is well defined and the routine well established; sort and put them out to the curb. And yet, many just do not care.

In some areas there will be more comprehensive programs, as here in our area there are advertised deposit stations for computer equipment and paint.

But beyond the primary efforts there is a general lack of public information or facilities for disposing of so many other materials, much of it hazardous. The results are mountains of environmentally harmful material going into dumps daily. With budgets in mind local governments may fail to promote the disposal of difficult to recycle waste, or perhaps provide no destination.

Turning a blind eye: To knowingly refuse to acknowledge something which you know to be real.
It appears that a majority of companies do not want the cost of recycling and so ignore it. It is a fact about doing business efficiently and within the law to maximize profit. Business will very likely hesitate to get involved with the handling of difficult to salvage products, if they are not required to. If they are directed to do so, they might not encourage it.

Having a cell phone to get rid of I visited two large chain store branches both of which had large displays containing dozens of these products. When I asked about disposing of one I got similar negative replies. One clerk simply answered; "We do not recycle."

It's an ongoing business-ethic dilemma that pokes up in so many marketing scenarios. Consider that you are the manger of one of those retail branches. To take the recycle challenge and make a positive contribution to society will result in a little less profit for your store. This could negatively affect your management standing in relation to fellow managers at other stores in the chain who do not take on the cost.

What do you do?
Attempting to dispose of objects that are not on your local, easily recyclable, basic list can be frustrating. Asking a friend or neighbor where to take odd types of plastic, small appliances or gadgets and you may draw a blank, or a response; "In the garbage."

AAA, AA, C, D, NiCad, Alkaline/Zinc-Carbon, Lithium, Nickel Zinc . . . .
Small batteries must carry a neat little bit of profit because display packages of various sizes can often be found duplicated throughout a store. But it is rare to see a disposal display anywhere. Granted some batteries may be hazardous while others not, but again the information is lacking.

We continually receive very persuasive advertising information on products we 'need' to buy, much of which we do not need and will be junk in a short while. The efforts to convince us to buy are immense, but where are the encouragements to reduce, re-use and recycle? The big corporate marketing machines need to be reigned in and efforts to promote a more sensible, sustainable existence must be emphasized, for the benefit of mankind.

Metro Vancouver Recycles. But there is information out there in the internet world and perhaps for your particular area. You gotta look for it. As I searched for information on the Greater Vancouver Lower Mainland I was quite surprised to find an interactive directory of reuse and recycling services designed to help answer the question “Where do I take this?” I was previously unaware of this. The site might not have a destination for a certain disposal concern, but it does show what is available.

Only recently I happened to be scouring through the front section of our local Yellow Pages and was surprised to find a 40 page EcoGuide with loads of detailed information on garbage disposal, recycling and going green. Very nicely done but we need have everyone to know it's there.

Across the pond, Kent County UK council has a lovely website with a strong interest in the environment and climate change, planning and land use, recycling and rubbish, wildlife and biodiversity. Take an online visit for some refreshing ideas. You may even wish you could visit in person.

Plastic, plastic, everywhere.
The quantity of post-consumer plastics recycled has increased every year since at least 1990. In 2006 the amount of plastic bottles recycled reached a record high of 2.2 trillion pounds. Plastic recycling is the process of recovering scrap or waste plastics and reprocessing the material into useful products, sometimes completely different in form from their original state.
Plastic information at Wikipedia including a Plastic Identification Codes table.

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Tips to Reduce Waste and Reuse

Disposing of waste properly is necessary to protect the environment. Very important also is reducing the amount of waste produced by consuming wisely, and by reuse and recycling.

Random tips on waste reduction abound here and there. One comprehensive information source on this topic is the US Environmental Protection Agency's site on Wastes. It contains details on the principles of reducing the amount of waste we produce along with numerous pages of waste related information and tips.

Reusing products is just one way to cut down on what we throw away. Simply put, source reduction is waste prevention. It includes many actions that reduce the overall amount or toxicity of waste created. Source reduction can conserve resources, reduce pollution, and help cut waste disposal and handling costs (it avoids the costs of recycling, composting, landfilling, and combustion).

Source reduction is a basic solution to the garbage glut: less waste means less of a waste problem. Because source reduction actually prevents the generation of waste in the first place, it comes before other management options that deal with trash after it is already generated. After source reduction, recycling (and composting) are the preferred waste management options because they reduce the amount of waste going to landfills and conserve resources.

Reducing Solid Waste: The Four Basic Principles

REDUCE the amount of trash discarded
Reduce the amount of unnecessary packaging.
Adopt practices that reduce waste toxicity.

REUSE containers and products.
Consider reusable products.
Maintain and repair durable products.
Reuse bags, containers, and other items.
Borrow, rent, or share items used infrequently.
Sell or donate goods instead of throwing them out.

RECYCLE - use recycled materials, and compost.
Choose recyclable products and containers and recycle them.
Select products made from recycled materials.
Compost yard trimmings and some food scraps.

RESPOND to the solid waste dilemma by reconsidering waste-producing activities and by expressing preferences for less waste.
Educate others on source reduction and recycling practices. Make your preferences known to manufacturers, merchants, and community leaders.
Be creative—find new ways to reduce waste quantity and toxicity.

Much more on waste at the US Environmental Protection Agency's site on Wastes
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Better Recycling Info Needed

"Where do I recycle these containers, fasteners, cellophane, packing, bags, cell phones, batteries etc?"

A lot of the problems consumers have with recycling is the lack of readily available detailed information. This is particular with the various types of plastic.

Information is out there but often you may need to spend some time trying to find it. Many will avoid this inconvenience and recycle the item improperly or simply chuck it into the garbage. This is not how it should be.

Considering that all the junk we take into our possession has arrived because of information that is constantly blasted at us, it's not a level playing field. We should be receiving a steady stream of pertinent, persuasive how-to information about recycling. And the marketing of products that have a negative affect on our lives and the world should be reduced and controlled.

I just assembled a cabinet purchased at Ikea and was happy to see that the little plastic bags containing hardware had recycling numbers printed on them. It's absolutely necessary that all used consumer plastics have a destination and that we are kept totally informed on disposing of them wisely. Detailed lists should be available and distributed locally.

Some useful information on recycling plastic:
Consumers can find out which plastics are accepted in their local area and how to recycle, prepare and transfer them by contacting their local recycling hauler (usually the local city or county solid waste or public works department, or a private company). Generally, paper labels do not need to be removed from plastic bottles or containers, but lids should be thrown away because they typically are made from a type of plastic that is not recyclable. Plastic bottles and containers must be rinsed, squashed, and placed in recycle bins for collection. Plastic grocery bags are often accepted by stores in recycling containers placed near the entranceways.

Plastic Identification Codes

Plastic Identification Code	Type of plastic polymer	Properties	Common Packaging Applications
	Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET, PETE)	Clarity, strength, toughness, barrier to gas and moisture.	Soft drink, water and salad dressing bottles; peanut butter and jam jars
	High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)	Stiffness, strength, toughness, resistance to moisture, permeability to gas.	Milk, juice and water bottles; yogurt and margarine tubs; trash and retail bags.
	Polyvinyl Chloride (V)	Versatility, clarity, ease of blending, strength, toughness.	Juice bottles; cling films
	Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)	Ease of processing, strength, toughness, flexibility, ease of sealing, barrier to moisture.	Frozen food bags; squeezable bottles, e.g. honey, mustard; cling films; flexible container lids.
	Polypropylene (PP)	Strength, toughness, resistance to heat, chemicals, grease and oil, versatile, barrier to moisture.	Reusable microwaveable ware; kitchenware; yogurt containers; margarine tubs; microwaveable disposable take-away containers; disposable cups and plates.
	Polystyrene (PS)	Versatility, clarity, easily formed	Egg cartons; disposable cups, plates, trays and cutlery; disposable take-away containers; yogurt and margarine containers
	Other	Dependent on polymers or combination or polymers.	Beverage bottles; baby milk bottles.

Read more on Plastic Recycling at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

7 Simple Environment Tips

7 Simple ways to Help The Environment and Your Wallet
By Juan Anselmo Borla

The world is a big place with big problems. Some environmental activists demand we stop living our lives and look at everything we do as an Earth-changing event, but not everyone can focus their entire lives around saving the planet. The truth is that it isn't necessary to make drastic changes in one's life to make a difference. It isn't even necessary to spend more money to be environmentally conscious. Below are seven simple ways to make a difference in the environment, and save money doing it.

1. Buying compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of incandescent ones. Advances in technology have led to a light bulb that's designed to last up to 15 times the life of a standard bulb. They cost more up front, but they are replaced much less often, which makes them cheaper in the long run. Plus, these bulbs will use less than a third of the power of incandescents, which will reduce electricity costs. They also generate less heat, so less air-conditioning is needed in the summer.

2. Reusing shopping bags. Every bag reused is one less bag that needs to be manufactured. Also, several supermarket chains have started giving small credits towards their customers' bills when they bring in old bags to reuse. Some people like to keep old shopping bags in their trunk, just in case. Even more of an improvement would be using non-disposable canvas bags - they still count towards the credit at the check-out, but are made from eco-friendly materials.

3. Carpooling. Most people associate carpooling with going to work, but there are many other opportunities to share a ride. A great deal of money could be saved on gasoline by one car going to the mall rather than two. Also, with a little planning, shopping trips could be taken less frequently.

4. Turning off the water when not in use. Simple things like using half a sink full of water to wash dishes instead of running the water can prevent waste. Turning the water off while brushing your teeth is also a good idea. Finally, making sure faucets aren't left dripping will make a significant difference in water bills.

5. Completely turning off electronics. A great many of today's appliances and electronics have a standby mode. Televisions and stereos in particular tend to use a great deal of electricity while on standby. Plugging devices into a power strip that has an on/off switch can give consumers more control over their electricity use. Particular attention should be paid to anything with a big transformer plug, as these devices tend to use the most power and waste the most money.

6. Turning off the air-conditioning and/or heat when leaving the house. A great deal of electricity is wasted cooling or heating an empty home, which leads to bigger bills. Even setting the temperature one or two degrees different, keeping the system from activating as often, can save significant amounts of money each year.

7. Turning off the lights. A good rule of thumb is, "light is useless if there's nobody there." Turning off any ceiling fans, floor fans and lights when leaving the room saves just a little bit of electricity, and money, every time it's done.

Of course, there are many more ways to help the environment while saving money. These seven are simply among the most often overlooked easy solutions. Public libraries and environmental websites are great sources of further information.

About the Author
Juan Anselmo Borla is a freelance writer and poet. He lives at Dancing Rabbit, a sustainable ecovillage in northeast Missouri. There, he hopes to make the world a better place by using his Chemical Engineering degree to develop an alternative fuels program. His fiancee and two cats hope he doesn't blow himself up in the process.


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