Recycling (1)

 

Recycling is not a new idea; reclaiming or reusing materials instead of discarding them has always been practiced at some level.  Today, however, the need for recycling is greater than ever before.  It is not realized that the world’s resources are in danger of being exhausted.  However, consumption of these resources has continued to increase at an alarming rate.  With increased consumption has come increased discards of waste.  Each individual discards an average of 5 pounds of material per day at his home or office.  As a nation we discard approximately 250 million tons of solid waste annually.

 

The responsibility of a consumer does not end when the garbage is emptied.  He cannot merely “throw it away” for there is no “away.”  We can no longer hide our wastes.  Each consumer is responsible for the problems of solid waste disposal and each consumer can contribute to the solution of that problem.

 

The best way to do this is by practicing source reduction.  If  we reduce our consumption of materials and products, the amount of waste generated will also be less.  Such things as reusing a lunch sack until it wears out, refusing to use paper plates and napkins, repairing an item rather than purchasing a new one, and buying in bulk to reduce the number of discarded source reductions.  The goal is to continually decrease the amount one must discard.

 

Another way to prolong our resources is by recycling.  After reducing our discards to a minimum, we should recycle what we do discard. 

Recycling an aluminum can uses only 5% if the energy required to make a new one, recycling glass uses 50% of the energy, and every ton of paper recycled saves 60% of the energy, 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, and 60 pounds of air pollution. 

City’s yearly stats – 2008

Refuse: Decreased from 7,286.18 tons to 6,938.18 tons. This equals a savings of $8,352.00 in disposal fees. The tonnage difference (348) is equivalent to about 70 elephants or 174 cars.

Paper: Increased from 1,565.88 tons to 1,571.72 tons. This equals an increase of revenue to $37,473.42 and saving of disposal fee of $37,721.28.

Bottles and cans: Increased from 588.71 tons to 607.37 tons. While these materials are still without value they represent a savings of disposal fees by diversion of $14,576.88.

Scrap metal: Generated about $2,000. Savings of disposal fee equals $375.36.

Yard Waste: Increased by 130.93 tons, while this does not represent any additional cost, it does show a clear possibility for composting, and thus waste reduction. 

What does this all mean?

Recycling saved $92,146.94 of taxpayer’s money. This is the figure we would have spent to landfill everything plus the loss of revenue from not recycling.

"The Big Five"

Each member of “The Big Five” has one or more organizations with more dedicated information and resources on these materials

• Aluminum—Aluminum Association
• Glass—The Glass Packaging Institute
• Paper—The American Forest and Paper Association
• Plastic—The American Plastics Council and The National Association For PET Container Resources
• Steel—Steel Recycling Institute
  

Grasscycling

There are some simple solutions to help you make the most of your yard waste.  For starters, changing what you do with your grass clippings can be a first step to maximizing your lawn’s potential.  You can put them to work by using a mulching mower or by just not bagging your clippings.  Why throw away nutrients and water just to buy them later?

Grass clippings provide the same vital nutrients as lawn fertilizer, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.  These clippings also help keep your lawn hydrated as the water contained in these clippings break down into your soil.  That means you’ll be saving time you would have spent watering your lawn or bagging up those clippings, so consider including grasscycling as part of your yard work routine. 

If you must bag your grass clippings, consider using them as mulch on your flowerbeds, gardens, or around trees.  They’re also a wonderful addition to your compost pile.  When you use your grass clippings as mulch, be sure to keep them at about 4 inches in depth.  That’s about what it takes for them to serve as a good weed suppressant.  As those clippings break down, they will begin to release moisture and nutrients into your soil, helping to keep your plants well nourished. 

When using grass clippings to fertilize your flowerbeds or trees, you should place a 3 inch ring around the base of the plants. This allows water to collect around your plants while keeping away decomposing materials which may harm growing plant life. 

Additional Resources

• Battery Recycling - earth911.org
• Recycling in the City of Winchester
• Frederick County Landfill
• reduce.org

Reference Sources: back to top

1. Virginia Department of Litter Control.
   "Guide to Household Recycling." [Brochure]