YOU CAN MAKE
A TON OF
DIFFERENCE
SEPA
United States EPAsao-F-92-003
Environmental Protection April 1992
Agency Washington, DC 20460
RECK
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RECYCLE IT MAKES SENSE!
Call it garbage, solid waste, refuse, trash! It's the
waste we produce in our homes and businesses. We
throw it into cans and put it out for pickup. Our trash,
plus our neighbors' and everyone else's, adds up to a
massive pile of waste. In fact, each year our nation
generates enough garbage to fill a convoy of trash
trucks reaching halfway to the moon. And the convoy
keeps growing longer every year!
What's in Our Trash?
National averages show:
ONCE Is NOT ENOUGH
38%
aper
18% Yard Trimmings
8%
Metals
8%
Plastic
7%
Glass
7%
Food Waste
14%
Other
Where Does Our Trash Go?
What happens to last night's empty soft drink cans
and bottles? And where does this morning's
discarded newspaper go? For many years, most have
gone to landfills. Now, many of these landfills are
almost full. This is causing landfilling costs to soar,
forcing many of our communities to raise fees or taxes
to pay the additional costs. Landfilling is no longer
the easy answer.
In some communities, the waste goes to an incinerator
that burns it and recovers energy. Incinerators reduce
the volume of waste, but landfills are still needed to
bury the ash that burning produces. Both incinerators
and landfills are expensive and can take a long time
to locate and build. In a growing number of
communities, the morning newspaper is recycled,
yard trimmings are composted, and cans and bottles
are recycled or reused.
The Solution
Because there's not one simple remedy for our trash
problem, we need to consider a combination of
solutions to manage it. Reducing and reusing waste,
recycling, burning trash for energy recovery, and
landfilling are all parts of the solution. Federal, state,
and local governments are seeking answers as they
study and plan for current and future needs. Citizens
in every community need to be involved in finding
the best solutions and making them work.
Recycling is just one important remedy for the
garbage problem. It's an effective solution because it
reduces the amount of waste for disposal. And
individuals like you can be part of the solution by
recycling at home and at work. You can use recycled
and recyclable products, organize recycling programs,
and encourage your neighbors to recycle. Just as we
contribute to our nation's increasing garbage problem,
we can all contribute to its solution by recycling.
What Is Recycling?
"Recycling" means separating, collecting, processing,
marketing, and ultimately using a material that would
have been thrown away. This morning's newspaper
can be recycled for another morning's news or other
paper products. Cans and bottles can be crafted for
other uses.
Quality products and packaging are being made from
recovered materials. We can all help create markets
for recyclables by buying and using these products.
Why Should We Recycle?
Recycling reduces our reliance on landfills and
incinerators.
Recycling protects our health and environment when
harmful substances are removed from the waste
stream.
Recycling conserves our natural resources because it
reduces the need for raw materials.
A CLOSER LOOK AT RECYCLING
A National Goal of 25 Percent
EPA has set a national goal of reducing and recycling
25 percent of our waste. Some communities have set
similar goals and are on their way to achieving them,
and others are just beginning recycling programs.
Your support and involvement are essential in
meeting these goals. To start, you can encourage your
local government and businesses to start recycling
programs or expand their current ones, and to use
recycled materials.
What Can We Recycle?
Each local recycling program is designed to handle
specific materials. Commonly recycled materials
include:
Paper Newspaper, office paper, cardboard, and
other paper types.
Yard trimmings Grass, leaves, and shrub and tree
clippings are recycled by composting.
Glass Bottles and jars (clear, green, and amber).
Aluminum Beverage containers.
Other metals Steel cans, auto bodies, refrigerators,
stoves, and batteries.
Used motor oil Vehicle crankcase oil.
Plastics Soda bottles, milk jugs, bags, and
detergent containers.
What Do We Do with Our Recyclables?
Local governments, nonprofit organizations, and
private enterprises run several kinds of collection
programs.
Curbside collection is the most convenient way for a
household to recycle. These programs offer scheduled
pickups of separated, recyclable products from the
curblike trash collection. Unfortunately, curbside
pickup is not available in some of our communities.
Drop-off centers are sites set up for us to leave
materials for recycling. They serve as convenient
central pickup locations for processors or recyclers
Buy-back centers pay consumers for recyclable
materials.
Waste companies buy recyclables from offices,
businesses, institutions, schools, and industries
67%
Landfilled
17%
Recycled
16%
Incinerated
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LET'S CLEAN UP OUR ACT!
Recycle at Home!
Find out if there is a recycling program in your
community. .3 is <
If so, participate in the program by separating 2. g" ?
recyclables and taking them to your local drop-off or ? g
buy-back center, or put them out for curbside pickup. ^ f.
Don't throw away what you can use again plastic
containers, for instance, can be used many times.
If you change your own auto oil, take it to a local
service station or recycling center.
Leave your grass clippings on the lawn or compost
them with leaves.
Shop Smarter!
When choosing between similar products, select the
one with the least unnecessary packaging.
Use products in containers that are recycled in your
community, and things that can be repaired or reused.
Support recycling markets by buying and using
products made from recycled material.
Get Involved!
Get involved in planning for your state and local solid
waste management.
Inform government officials about the benefits of
recycling.
Encourage state and local governments and
businesses to recycle and to use recycled material or
recyclables.
Participate in or start a voluntary recycling program
with a local college, church, union, or community
service organization.
Organize a recycling program where you work.
How to Start!
Call the EPA Solid Waste Hotline at 1-800-424-9346
(in D.C. call 703-412-9810) for additional information
on how to contact recycling coordinators in your area.
Or call your state or local government or local waste
hauler.
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