HENDERSON, Tenn.- Those who are responsible for handling garbage in three West Tennessee counties came together Wednesday to talk about the success of recycling.

Representatives from Chester, Hardin and McNairy Counties along with a representative from Jackson gathered in the city of Henderson to talk about the West Tennessee Recycling Hub Project.

County and city leaders said the efforts lessens the amount of trash in landfills while providing some income.

"We saved over $50,000 last year in diversion costs going to the landfill and we sold way over $200,000 worth of materials. So you know, to me that's a great incentive there to re-cycle," said Danny Benard, director of Chester County Solid Waste.

In addition to helping the environment, officials said within three years the Hub Project should create employment opportunities, both full-time and part-time.

 

You can read this article and many more at the following website:

http://www.wbbjtv.com/news/local/Henderson-Celebrates-New-Recycling-Hub-169532166.html

Feb. 23 -- Unless there is an unexpected reversal in a second vote, Dana Point, Calif., is set to become the 50th community in California to enact a ban on polystyrene takeout foodservice containers.

A second vote on the ban -- which would not be enforced until seven months after council approves the ban at a second reading -- is scheduled for March 6.

At the same meeting, Dana Point city council approved a ban on plastic bags, which also requires a second vote.

 

In the mid-1800s, French emperor Napoleon III was known to provide gold or silver dinnerware for most guests at state banquets, but the emperor and his really important guests used the good stuff — aluminum dinnerware.

Aluminum was a rare commodity then — more valuable than gold — and something only royalty could afford, long before advancements in mining and metallurgy turned this now common metal into an economic bedrock for communities like Blount County.

 

Members of the Carter County Landfill Committee heard an update Tuesday morning on recycling efforts from the county’s solid waste director. Carter County Solid Waste and Landfill Manager Benny Lyons reported yesterday morning that the county has received final approval from Governor Bill Haslam on a used oil grant. The $27,500 grant will provide the necessary funds to purchase heaters for the landfill’s maintenance garage and the recycling center in Elizabethton. The special heaters are operated on used oil that is collected by the landfill department.

Feb. 1 – Coca-Cola Co. and Keep America Beautiful have expanded their recycling bin grant initiative.

The 2012 Coca-Cola Recycling Bin Grant Program is designed to boost recycling in communities across the nation. Coca-Cola invested more into the program this year to include universities in addition to the public space bin grants, according to the company.

 

To read the rest of the article and to get your application please visit the following site:

http://www.wasterecyclingnews.com/email.html?id=1328113964

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.

...

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/

America has become a high tech nation. The majority of Americans have a computer, iPod, cell phone, or the new tablets that they use to read books and many other things. It is a great way to stay in contact with family, friends, being able to do business while on the go, or sometimes to just read a book or listen to music. What is the one problem with any of this? Newer things with more space or more features comes out every day! Now that is great for helping us, but what happens to the items replaced? Some people are unaware that you are able to recycle all of these old items! Other options available are to donate it to a school, someone in need, organizations that help people in need. Please do not just toss it away! There are many places that will recycle your electronics for you. Apple has now joined in andif they are able to fix the item, you can get an Apple gift card! Since many things on the iPhone, iPod, or iPad require you to use iTunes to get applications, songs, or games, you can use the money to purchase the things you want. If you would like to learn more information regarding this topic, please visit the following website: http://www.apple.com/recycling/

The City of Knoxville, in cooperation with Kroger, Food City, Goodwill, Waste Connections, and Rock-Tenn Recycling, operates 10 recycling centers. The recycling centers are divided into two categories depending on the types and number of materials accepted.

Since 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency has protected public health by setting and enforcing standards to protect the quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink.s

SOURCE Waste & Recycling News

DETROIT, Aug. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time ever, environmental professionals can start their week with an online newscast devoted to the waste and recycling industries

The items listed below are fun facts about what recycling does. As well as I have listed some websites with even more information. Recycling is important for our world. Help each other, and our children, and our childrens children.