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Municipal Solid Waste Recycling
How
Does Recycling Work?
Separating materials from your garbage into the recycling bin, or taking
recyclables to the drop-off center is only one step in the process of
recycling. There are three steps:
Each step represents a unique and important activity in the recycling loop.
Most of us only participate in the collection step of recycling. Many
communities have active programs which encourage separating recyclable
items from the garbage. There are also drop off centers and companies
which take in recyclables. Once recyclable items have been collected,
they are crushed, bailed or shredded (processed) and sold to companies
that manufacture new
Literally thousands of businesses process collected recyclables in the manufacture of new products. Many recycle the product
back into the same product again, such as aluminum cans, glass bottles,
or paper. Others use recyclables as feedstock for a different product,
such as plastic lumber park benches or decks made from plastic milk jugs
or soda bottles. Regardless of where these items end up, recycling helps
save our natural resources by reusing existing materials rather than depleting
new ones. Recycling reduces the amount of raw materials mined, processed
and consumed, and reduces energy consumption.
Products
In order to fully participate in recycling, consumers must buy
recycled products. There are many items that can be purchased, from notebook
paper to clothes. Look for labels that say if an item is made from recyclable
materials (especially beneficial is a high percentage of post-consumer
recycled content). Also, look for items that can be recycled again,
in particular if it is a disposable item like a milk jug. Proper waste
management is everyone's responsibility.
What You Can Do
Now that you understand the recycling process, you can find out how to properly recycle items such as computers, batteries, and aluminum cans. Your county or state waste programs also offer specific information on where to recycle common recyclables.
One of the critical parts of the recycling process is the purchase
of products made with recycled material. The federal government
is the single largest consumer of goods and services in the US. Due
to the government's large purchasing power, procurement of recycled-content
products can significantly affect the market demand.
If you would like more information on how to step-up your recycling efforts, look to The Consumer's Handbook for Reducing Solid Waste for great ideas on how you can close the loop in recycling. The EPA's Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) designate products that are or can be made with recovered materials, and recommend practices for buying these products. The Environmentally Preferable Purchasing website provides guides to green purchasing for products that incorporate key environmental factors with traditional price and performance considerations.
Current Recycled-Content
and EPP projects:
Region 5 promotes the availability of recycled-content products and
provides information about the procurement guidelines by setting up
a buy recycled display booth at area events; providing samples of recycled-content products for use during presentations on recycling; and participating
in area procurement trainings for government employees.
Jobs Through Recycling provides
recycling market development information for state and local officials
and sources of technical and financial assistance for recycling businesses.
The EPA supports the development of new products using recycled feedstocks
and promotes market development strategies for construction and demolition
debris, industrial byproducts, food waste, and end-of-life computer equipment.
Region 5 also participates in the National
Market Development Roundtable to exchange information among state
and local market development officials.
Current Market Development projects:
Construction
Materials Recycling Association (CMRA)
In cooperation with the National Roofing Contractors Association
(NRCA), CMRA and EPA Region 5 have developed an internet site (shinglerecycling.org)
dedicated to asphalt shingle recycling issues. The target audience will
be generators, recyclers and regulators and content will include:
- Government documents
- Guidance and contacts
- Recycling and reuse information
- Links to relevant associations, recycling directories, and university research
A main focus on the site will be outstanding environmental health and safety issues such as asbestos content. The site will be designed, hosted and maintained by NRCA, with research and content provided by CMRA.
Scrap Tire Conference - Scrap Tire Management Council
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Department of
Commerce, Scrap Tire Management Council and EPA hosted a regional scrap
tire conference in Indianapolis on June 4-6, 2001. A regulators roundtable
was held during which discussions took place regarding scrap tire regulations,
fire prevention and market development. A full day training on Civil
Engineering applications for scrap tire derived chips was held for highway
engineers was also held. EPA Regions 4, 5 & 6 will co-sponsor a Tri-Regional Scrap Tire Conference on
December 5 & 6, 2002.
International
Molded Pulp Environmental Packaging Association (IMPEPA)
This demonstration project will seek to increase the use of multiple
grades of waste paper for protective packaging products. The objective
of the project is to produce technical engineering data on molded fiber
to provide packaging engineers and designers with the tools to allow
them to design molded packaging products with increased amounts and
variety of recovered paper.
The Minnesota
Office of Environmental Assistance, Sony
Electronics, and EPA are working to learn about the barriers and opportunities
to recycling plastics from used electronic products in the manufacturing
of new electronic products. The project seeks to advance the establishment
of closed-loop recycling for engineering plastics. The project is designed
to utilize existing markets to create new, competitive domestic demand
for engineering plastics. It is the intent of project participants that
upon completion of the project new domestic markets for recycled engineering
plastics will exist as self-sustaining, non-subsidized markets.
Recycled
Content Plastic Railroad Ties - Department of Defense Construction Engineering
Research Lab (CERL)
Recycling
Measurement provides information to help state and local government
officials learn more about a voluntary, standard methodology for measuring
recycling rates. Learn how to develop a measurement program including
worksheets, sample survey forms, community examples, and other useful
tools.
Several states and municipal recycling programs track recycling rates for municipal solid waste annually. To track the progress of recycling, EPA supports data collection efforts to measure the amount of waste diverted from landfills and the amount of waste recycled, known as a recycling rate (usually shown as a percent). Region 5 is also interested in the measurement of the economic impacts of recycling, specifically, the size of the reuse and recycling industry.
U.S.
Recycling Economic Information (REI) Study - National
Recycling Coalition
To assess the economic impact of reuse and
recycling on
the nation's economy,the
U.S. EPA, National Recycling Coalition, and various states recently conducted
the U.S. Recycling Economic Information (REI) study. Results of the study
show that despite the economic slowdown, the financial and employment benefits
of the recycling industry appear to be at an all-time high. The
study participants have developed an outreach
toolkit to promote the results and increase investment in this sector.
Read the report
online => 
REI Outreach - Mid-America
Council of Recycling Officials (MACRO)
The 14 MACRO states are promoting the results from the U.S. Recycling
Economic Information (REI) Study to state government leaders, financial
institutions and the recycling industry. In addition to state-specific
outreach efforts, this project has developed Public Service Announcements, a brochure showing how the Midwest leads the nation in Recycling Economic Activity,
and a portable booth display on the strength of the reuse and recycling
industry in the Midwest.
Recycling Drop-off
Study - Ohio EPA - July 2004
Ohio EPA conducted an in-depth study and analysis of drop-off recycling
programs throughout Ohio. The study was designed to gain better understanding
of program effectiveness and the factors that are important in maximizing
effectiveness. Since OH EPA requires each of its 52 solid waste management
districts to meet goals of diversion or access, a model for measuring
the population access credit for each drop-off site and curbside recycling
option was also developed.
Drop-off
Study
Access Credit Model Report & Appendices
For additional links and information on recycling...
Other Recycling Resources:
Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) systems