Recycle

Reduce, reuse and recycle—the message is increasingly urgent as costs and pollution rise. We all need to find effective ways to reduce what we consume and dispose of; reuse products as much as possible, and then recycle things when they are no longer practical to reuse.

Does compaction hinder recycling efforts? No. In fact, it can enhance them.

The BigBelly solar trash compaction system is fully compatible with recycling efforts. Communities that separate recycling (and even compostable organics) from non-recyclable waste can effectively use solar compactors to reduce the collection trips for that waste. For communities that collect all waste together (commingled) and then separate out recyclable materials at a material recovery facility, the BigBelly system will reduce collection trips without compromising the ability to separate materials after the fact (the machine does not create a dense "brick" or bale, but simply squeezes out the air, making for more efficient collection).

Recycling makes so much sense because:

  1. Recycling reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
    1. The anaerobic decomposition of waste in landfills produces methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
    2. The incineration of waste produces carbon dioxide.
    3. Finally, the production of new materials often requires the use of fossil fuels to obtain new raw materials. Manufacturing goods from recycled materials typically requires less energy than producing goods from virgin materials. Recycling aluminum, for example, can save as much as 95% in energy consumption.
    4. The EPA estimates that recycling reduced the country's carbon emissions by 49 million metric tons in 2005.
  2. Recycling makes economic sense.
    1. Landfill disposal costs are high and increasing in many areas, particularly the more densely populated areas on the East Coast.
    2. Strong market price for recyclables - the average price for curbside materials has increased to $90 per ton (from about $30 per ton in the early 1990s).
    3. According to an EPA study - "The recycling and reuse industry is an integrated network where the public and private sectors work together to recover and transform relatively useless discards into useful products of considerable value. Returning commodities to the stream of commerce is a value-adding, job-providing, and economy-spurring activity. The recycling and reuse industry is a significant contributor to the United States economy, providing large numbers of good jobs that pay well."
  3. The numbers add up.
    1. Over the past twenty years, the number of landfills has decreased from about 8,000 in 1988 to 1,654 in 2005. Many landfills closed because they either reached their carrying capacity or could not meet federal environmental standards.
    2. The average American generates 4.5 lbs of garbage per day.
    3. The average American family generates approximately 2.5 tons of garbage a year.
    4. In 2005, the United States generated 249 million tons of municipal solid waste. Through recycling efforts, more than 58 million tons were recovered.

For more information about recycling, go to www.RecycleBank.com

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