Recycling is the process of collecting and processing items that would otherwise be thrown away, according to the EPA. The benefits of recycling are that it reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills. It conserves natural resources such as timber and water. It reduces pollution caused by the need to collect new raw materials. It also helps create jobs in the recycling and manufacturing industries in the U.S.
Our own effective recycling center on Jones Road is in full operation and able to handle thousands of pounds of reusable waste. Our plant operation is growing upwards of 10% each year. That means that more of us are shifting our habit of tossing plastic, glass, metal and paper into the garbage and giving our landfills a break.
A few reminders are in order here to help our recycling center run more effectively.
First: There are numbers stamped on the bottom or top of each piece of plastic that can be recycled. 1 and 2 are more easily reusable in industry. These numbered plastic items have their own bins with a large sign over each describing which bin is which. Please look at the number stamped on your plastic items and distribute into correct bin.
Second: There have been more than a few incidences of people dumping their trash into the various recycle bins established specifically for reusable waste. According to Paul Granberg, our county commissioner and director of the program, people erroneously fill up to ten 95 gallon bins per week with unusable garbage which must then be carted off to the landfill. This costs the program and county money and time.
Recycling and reusing waste products are important ideas. Keeping our center open, clean and effective so that our county benefits is a collective effort. Its up to all of us to recycle responsibly.
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