When you reach for that product on the store shelf this holiday season, will its recycled content be a factor in your decision on whether to drop it in your basket or leave it on the shelf? Most of us think of separating out recyclables for curbside pick-up, but living a more sustainable lifestyle goes much farther than the blue bags.
‘We each need to reposition our mindset in today’s world. For example, I take my cloth bags to shop. When I purchase a product, I think to myself, can I reuse it? Can I give it to someone else? Can it be recycled?’ said Nichole Dorr, the passionate and energetic recycling coordinator for the Town of Truckee. ‘We need to reduce what gets put in our landfill. One of the major byproducts of a landfill is methane gas, a big contributor to greenhouse gases and climate change.’
Each of us can take small daily steps to avoid sending ‘waste’ to landfills. Dorr encourages everyone to buy products with recycled content. ‘Buying these products as opposed to a virgin counterpart helps drive the demand for recycled products. The makers of recycled content products then need more recycled material. It’s an important loop.’ Paying close attention to contents is an important step towards stepping into that loop. For example, when you read labels, you can choose computer and writing paper made of 100 percent post-consumer waste, or you can seek out the cozy fleece jacket made from recycled plastic bottles.
In addition to making changes in personal practices, there are state regulations in place to drive the industry of recycling. ‘Local jurisdictions in California are required to reduce solid waste sent to landfills by 50 percent, so more recycling helps,’ Dorr said. ‘The California Legislature is now looking at a 75 percent diversion rate. Some communities are working toward a ‘zero waste’ goal. Recycling is only going to become more important.’
Dorr also cited the example of California’s tire recycling fee. ‘This money goes into a state piggy bank that awards millions of dollars in market development grants designed to find and develop new markets for recycled tires,’ said Dorr. ‘Innovation is key as we look for more ways to use recycled material.’
Individual participation in voluntary programs such as curbside recycling helps communities meet state goals. According to Dorr, Truckee has the largest blue-bag participation rate in Tahoe Truckee Sierra Disposal’s service area (which reaches east to Floriston, west to Colfax, and south to Meeks Bay). Some communities within Placer County like Kings Beach and Tahoe City are generating an increase, albeit modest. ‘You don’t get charged extra for pickup if you use blue bags for recyclables,’ reminded Dorr.
The state of Nevada recommends a voluntary diversion rate of 25 percent. In Incline Village, Waste Not is the General Improvement District’s (IVGID) conservation program. Coordinator Madonna Dunbar is overseeing a determined move by Incline to increase its use of blue bags. ‘We launched a pilot program back in July in an effort to increase the use of blue bags in our service area. We use a two-truck system on each route. One truck picks up recyclables only,’ she said.
Backed by strong community support, the trial was a wild success. ‘Our diversion rate on the pilot route went up to about 20 percent during the ten-week test. Normally our diversion rate overall is only 3 percent,’ Dunbar said. Now she is waiting for a cost analysis from the service provider, Waste Management, which will determine whether the town will adopt blue-bag recycling.
Dunbar is also working with a local committee to explore additional ways to improve Incline’s recycling effort in order to achieve Nevada’s 25 percent voluntary diversion rate. A more aggressive program is designed for launch in spring 2008, and Dunbar would like to see Incline lead the entire state of Nevada. She works closely with Dorr to coordinate information about the important foundational concept of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle and buy recycled.’
‘Nichole has been very supportive of our efforts here in Incline Village. We agree that it’s a common message we’re trying to convey,’ Dunbar said.
Dorr said, ‘Most people want to participate and do the right thing, but if it’s confusing, they pull back because they aren’t sure what to do. We want to streamline and simplify our message and information. We live as people, not as boundary lines for governmental jurisdictions.’
When you’re at the store, Waste Buster urges you to remember that your choice will affect you, your family, our community and our world.
Contacts:
Madonna Dunbar: 775-832-1212, madonna_dunbar@ ivgid.org
Nichole Dorr: 530-582-2909, ndorr@townoftruckee.com.
Waste Buster: wastebuster@moonshineink.com.
Proper Use of the Blue Bag
When your blue bag gets to our local materials recovery facility intact, workers can recover about 95 percent of the recyclables. That’s compared to a much smaller 17 to 18 percent capture rate out of the general waste stream.
• Keep it clean: rinse and dry recyclables to retain the integrity of each material. If you have a half-eaten container of yogurt or a jar of sauce that’s not empty, other recyclables can get contaminated and will then become less valuable.
• Don’t overload: put a reasonable amount of recyclables in the bag and tie it securely. If your blue bag rips or spills open, the contents can get contaminated.
• Look for Blue Recycling Bags found locally in the following stores: Tahoe City at Swigard’s True Value Hardware and Save Mart; Kings Beach at Safeway and Ace Hardware; Truckee at Mountain Hardware (multiple sizes in rolls), Longs, Safeway, and Tahoe Supply Co. (large and strong bags in 100-bag cases).
Put these Recyclables in Blue Bags:
Aluminum, steel, and tin cans
Aluminum and tin foil
Clean glass bottles and jars
Plastics #1 to #7 (not plastic bags)
All mixed paper, white and colored
Cardboard (must be broken down to fit into tied bags)
Styrofoam is Insidious
There is no recycling market for the styrofoam waste generated in our area. According to Dorr, even if you see styrofoam stamped with the word ‘recyclable’ it’s going to wind up in our landfill and doesn’t readily degrade. ‘Avoid using styrofoam or buying products that come in styrofoam containers,’ she advised. ‘Look for options whenever and wherever you can.’ Note that businesses that offer packing and shipping services may accept clean styrofoam peanuts for re-use.
