In my last post, I gave the example of TUB LIDS and promised you answers. I know you’ve been wondering this for your whole recycling life: If tubs YES, why lids NO? The first thing that happens to all the collected stuff, as soon as it is entered into the mechanized sorting system of the […]
Entries Tagged as 'Recycling'
Why tub lids can’t go into the curbside recycling
April 3rd, 2014 · 2 Comments · Plastics Recycling, Recycling
How much to tell the public
March 27th, 2014 · No Comments · Consumer Issues, Philosophy, Recycling
Ever feel like you’re not being told the whole story? Well you’re not. And you should be grateful for it, because the whole story is way too complicated. You’d hate it. The PR of recycling knows that if you overload people with information they didn’t really care about in the first place, you risk having […]
Tags:educating the public·Master Recycling Program·recycling·Recycling School
Is your plastic rejected by curbside trash collectors? Don’t worry, it’s not about you.
March 12th, 2014 · No Comments · Plastics Recycling, Recycling, Trash Disposal
As we learned in my last post, if the recycling plant can’t sell it, they don’t want it. Why would they? So if they’re saying “NO, we don’t take x, y, and z,” it’s not because they’re being uncooperative. It’s because there’s no stable market for it. Key word: stable. They can’t take a plastic for […]
Tags:curbside recycling·garbage problem·landfill·non-recyclables·plastics recycling·rigid plastics
That little recyling symbol: what does it really mean?
March 9th, 2014 · No Comments · Manufacturing, Plastics Recycling, Recycling
On plastics, you’ll see a little number in the middle of it. What that number means is a topic for a future post. It’s not what you’d think, and it’s kind of complicated. The good news is there’s only one key thing to remember: “Just because something is recyclable SOMEWHERE, doesn’t mean it’s recyclable where […]
Tags:non-recyclables·plastic·plastic pellets·plastics·plastics recycling·recycling·rigid plastics
“When in doubt, Throw it out!”
March 5th, 2014 · No Comments · Garbage, Recycling, Trash Disposal
I know you’ve heard that little maxim. And I’m sorry to tell you that yes, “throw it out” means into the Garbage — i.e., not the recycling. And I know that’s painful for you. You WANT everything to be recyclable — but it’s not. I used to suffer from the same illness — which by […]
Tags:conveyor belt work·garbage problem·landfill·Materials Recovery Facility·MRF·non-recyclables·recycling·sorters·sorting·sorting garbage·sorting recyclables·throwing stuff out·waste disposal·working
I’m baaaaaack! And I’m going to answer all your garbage questions.
March 3rd, 2014 · 1 Comment · Garbage, Recycling, Trash Disposal
Yes. I’ve been gone a while. I took a sabbatical — what of it? I’m not getting paid for this. I’m back, and I’m going to quit being such a crabby scrooge about how bad everything is and be more informative about what we can do to help. Especially given that I’m the first one to […]
I have found my people!
September 23rd, 2013 · No Comments · Garbage, Recycling, Recycling School, Trash Disposal
I can’t help it — I’m obsessed with garbage, and with how the world is filling up with it. But I’m not alone! Finally I’ve been admitted to the Master Recycling Program, an educational opportunity coveted by so many Portlanders that there’s a waiting list for it. Yay! Yay, but boo. Yay because it thrills […]
Tags:garbage·garbage problem·inspiration·Master Recycler·Master Recycling Program·recycling·recycling education·Recycling School·waste disposal
The daily deluge of coffee cups into the landfills
August 25th, 2013 · 2 Comments · Consumer Issues, Disposability, Recycling, Take-out containers, Trash Disposal
I just got back from a trip. In the airport on the way out of town we got drinks at a Coffee People. Then I had to throw away the cup. Ow! I could hardly do it. But they’re not eligible for reincarnation, so I had to. The rule of thumb is that anything that can […]
Tags:coffee cups·disposable coffee mugs·paper cups·take-out food containers·waste disposal
Bad News for Rigid Plastics: China sings the Elvis song.
August 1st, 2013 · No Comments · Disposability, Manufacturing, Recycling, Trash Disposal
She wrote upon it: Return to sender. Address unknown. No such number. No such zone. China’s mad. Yes, China — the one who buys most of the world’s discarded plastics so that we can buy fright-loads of manufactured plastic doodads back from them — has had it. Reason? They’ve been getting boat-loads of plastic with […]
Tags:cheaply made goods·China·China buys plastics·garbage problem·landfill·plastics·recycling·rigid plastics·waste disposal
Where to get rid of Styrofoam blocks in Portland
June 13th, 2013 · 4 Comments · Disposability, Packaging, Polystyrene, Recycling, Trash Disposal
I have to admit I’ve been feeling somewhat holy about going to the trouble of schlepping our huge Styrofoam blocks out to one of the only two places in Portland that will take them. I feel less holy after what I’ve just found out. …. which I’ll tell you about in a minute. But first […]
Tags:cheaply made goods·garbage problem·landfill·non-recyclables·packaging·polystyrene·recycling·Styrofoam·throwing stuff out·waste disposal·wasteful packaging