We are going to begin a new blog on our website. Once or Twice a week we begin publishing information about different types of material that can be recycled! Each month we are going to focus on a different type of material. We will be posting this new blog information through 2012. And for February, we are going to focus on plastic.   Plastic Recycling Facts According to the Beverage Marketing Corp, the average American consumed 1.6 gallons of bottled water in 1976. In 2006, that number jumped to 28.3 gallons. More than 2.4 billion pounds of plastic bottles were recycled in 2008. Although the amount of plastic bottles recycled in the U.S. has grown every year since 1990, the actual recycling rate remains steady at around 27 percent. In 2007, more than 325 million pounds of wide-mouth plastic containers were recovered for recycling. (This included deli containers, yogurt cups, etc.) In recent years, the number of U.S. plastics recycling business has nearly tripled. More than 1,600 businesses are involved in recycling post-consumer plastics. Plastics in the U.S. are made primarily (70 percent) from domestic natural gas. Plastic bags and product wraps (known collectively as “plastic film”) are commonly recycled at the many collection programs offered through major grocery stores. Recycling 1 ton of plastic saves 7.4 cubic yards of landfill space. During Keep America Beautiful’s 2008 Great American Cleanup, volunteers recovered and recycled 189,000,000 PET (plastic) bottles that littered highways, waterways and parks.   Facts About Plastic Bottles Here are some interesting facts and statistics about plastic bottles: 5.1 billion: Amount, in pounds, of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and jars available in the U.S. for recycling in 2009. 2,456 million: Amount, in pounds, of plastic bottles – including PET and HDPE – recycled in 2009, making it a record high. 46: Number of plastics collection programs that were added to U.S. communities in 2009. 28: Percentage of PET plastic bottles that got recycled in 2009. 44: Percentage increase in 2009 of RPET (Recycled PET) used in food and beverage bottles. 2/3: The amount of energy that is saved when producing new plastic products from recycled materials instead of raw (virgin) materials. It also reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Six: The number of hours that the energy conserved from recycling a single plastic bottle can light a 60-watt light bulb. 19: The number of 20 oz. PET bottles it takes to yield enough fiber for an extra large T-shirt or one square foot of carpet.   You can find all of this information as well as more information on recycling at: www.earth911.com

JOHNSON CITY - Recycling trucks have been making the rounds in Johnson City since 1989. In that time the city's recycled more than 160 million tons of materials. Last year alone the trucks picked up more than 5,800 tons of recyclables. When you add in brush, mulch and leaves that makes about 23,000 of materials that were diverted from the landfill in 20-11. "We've had several batteries since they started this program,” said Calvin Lester who works on a recycling truck. “It's helping the environment and its good for the city residents, you now that we're picking this stuff up for them it's free to them and it’s just a service we are starting to provide for them now." Lester has been working on the recycling truck for five years. He said adding cooking oil and batteries to the items he picks up is a great idea for residents in Johnson City. Folks like Andrew Owens who recently came to Johnson City from Atlanta know the importance of recycling to any size community. "I try to recycle because we make enough trash as it is and so if there is any way to make that trash any less I’m down for it,” said Owens. Cutting down on the amount trash is important because that extends the life of the regions landfills."Every little bit helps right,” said Eva Hunter the recycling marketing coordinator for Johnson City. “I think we'll see the major impact of these three items because they are carrying heavy metals in the batteries and the flourescent tubes, so we do see those being kept out of the landfill. Which obviously is a good thing." In the first week that Johnson City started collecting the new items they picked up 60 pounds of household batteries and 18 gallons of cooking oil. It’s important to note fluorescent lights can only be dropped off at the solid waste department on New St. and they cannot go in your curbside recycling container. In 2011 the total amount of household waste in Johnson City was just more than 40,000 tons, which means that 56 percent of that waste was diverted out of the landfill by the recycling program.   To view more please visit the following website: http://www2.tricities.com/news/2012/jan/30/johnson-city-starts-collecting-new-items-recycling-ar-1650959/