Since curbside collection of waste can either be sorted and recycled or carted off to landfills, governing municipalities and contracted private waste haulers greatly influence where our collected trash ends up. While recycling legislation and economic incentives help to steer waste disposable decisions to the recycling stream, lack of such provisions leave waste disposable options up solely to the local authorities. Often local decision makers must choose between two types of green: the “green” almighty dollar or the “green” recycle symbol. When market forces are not economically favorable for recycling, trash often goes to landfills.

According to an article recently published in MSW Management, when it comes to landfills, “solid waste quantities are down. Reports vary throughout the country … but reductions of 15%, 25% 30%, or greater are common”. For anyone who is passionate about reducing the use of landfills in our country, this is encouraging news. So, how have these reductions come about? Are we recycling more or simply generating less waste? EPA data for MSW through year 2008 shows that for the past decade MSW generation has been relatively flat and even on a slight decline. While nationally recycling reached a 33.2% rate in the year 2008; some recently published figures for various states may put that number now closer to 30%. No matter how you look at it, we still have a long way to go to substantially reduce landfill usage and increase the recycling rate.

Three public corporations: “Waste Management, Inc.” ,“Republic Services, Inc.” , “IESI-BFC Ltd.” control 75% of the MSW landfill capacity in the USA. With only 25% of landfills under the direction of municipalities, landfill management remains largely under pressure to make profits and keep Wall Street happy. With 1, 812 landfills in the continental US, 10 in Hawaii, and 300 in Alaska, there are a lot of facilities to run and maintain. Compare these numbers to the number of Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFS). There are 545 in the continental US, 2 in Hawaii, and 1 in Alaska. Where does the emphasis seem to be? To date, landfills still hold the bulk of our waste.

Although landfills still rule when it comes to waste disposal, the above graph illustrates that landfill usage is on the downswing. In such a capital intensive industry, declining landfill demand translates into over capacity, idle equipment, lost jobs and lower profits. Now, that’s not good for any municipality or corporation. It’s not only the “Greening of America”, but the risk of future business loss that is spurring corporations like Waste Management, Inc. to invest in recycling. As more states enact “green” legislation the business of recycling will continue to strengthen. In my opinion, there is no reason why our national recycle rate must hover in the low 30% range. We need to aim much higher.

And, aiming higher is just what some regions of our country have done. But, how do we compare recycling rates between regions? Although no national standard exists, the EPA does issue recycling rate calculation guidelines. However, all recycling rates are not created equal. According to the EPA, discrepancies arise due to the following factors:

How a state defines recycling. (Some states allow communities with waste-to-energy facilities to additionally credit their recycling rates for these operations).

What is counted in the recycling rate. (Some states put limits on what can be counted while other states allow everything to be counted, e.g. automobiles and farm animal waste).

How MSW is defined. (Some states include bio-solids and industrial wastes).

What year is used to calculate the recycling rate. (Some jurisdictions calculate the recycling rate based on MSW generated during a specific “base year” rather than the current year).

How volume is converted to tons. (Conversion factors vary greatly).

Although recycle rate calculations are not perfect, overtime these rates do serve to benchmark our recycling efforts. Compiled below are recycling rates by region. These figures were generated using 2010 Census data and recently published state recycle rates (mostly 2009 and 2010). Sources for the recycling rates included state websites, publications, and recycling organizations. To have a benchmark to compare to, the recycling regions were defined exactly the same as in a report released by ,“BioCycle” ,“The State of Garbage in America”. The BioCycle report contains 2006 data.

For ease of reference, I have listed both the recently calculated recycling rates and the 2006 figures. The new RecyGal data uses only standard recycling materials in the rate calculations and excludes waste-to-energy credits. How a state calculates its recycle rate can make a substantial difference in the final number reported. For example, the State of Maryland publishes a recycle rate of 43.9%, but when adjusted for EPA guidelines, the rate is 36.2%. Personally, whenever I see a published recycle rate, I normally allow for plus or minus 5% of the stated value.

For the most part, the recycle rate differences between 2006 and 2010 are within 5%. Larger differences between the two reports are seen in the regions of New England and the West. When reviewing the data, it is important to know that in the year 2007 (after the BioCycle data was published), recycling rates fell sharply across the country due to the economic crisis and the loss in Asian demand for recyclable materials. Currently, our weak economy is still depressing some regional recycle markets. To keep things simple, when mentioning individual states, the “abbreviated” form is used.

In looking at the above table, the New England region has an overall recycling rate of 24%. While several states have rates exceeding 30%, NH, RI, and MA are 21%, 20%, and 18% respectively. Massachusetts is a good example of how waste-to-energy recycling credtis can greatly alter the overalll recycling rate. With waste-to-energy credits, the MA recycling rate is 27%; without these credits the recycling rate is 18%. The West region has the highest rate of all at 43%. All West states exceed 40% except for NV which comes in at 15%. For the continental states, the Rocky Mountain region has the lowest recycle rate at 9%. Alaska’s rate of 6% was extrapolated from information I received from Mary Fischer, Director of Alaskans for Litter Prevention (ALPAR). According to Mary, the city of Anchorage has a recycle rate of 17%. Since Anchorage has 37% of the Alaskan population and the only curbside recycling pick up in the state (started in 2008), I extrapolated Anchorage’s rate across the entire state. Obviously, this number is low because many towns in Alaska recycle using drop-off centers. A fairer value would probably be 10%. Recycle rates in the South are all under 20% except for VA (33%), SC (31%), and TN (26%).

Overall which states have the highest and lowest recycling rates?

Six states have recycling rates at 40% or higher. With only 12% of US states recycling at this level, others should look toward the best practices of these “high recyclers” for ideas and recycling strategies.

Five states sit at the bottom of the list. These states have not yet acheived a recycling rate of 5%. In the case of Mississippi, the state is not required to report a recycling rate so available information may not be currrent.

All in all, recycling is holding its own but has a long way to go. According to Recycling Works (a campaign advocating higher recycling rates) even today’s low recycle rate “conserves the equivalent of approximately 11.9 billion gallons of gasoline, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of taking one-fifth – or 40 million – of all U.S. cars off the roads every year. ” With landfill usage on the decline, it is now time to invest in recycling and to change our waste disposal habits. We need to reverse course and aim for a 70% recycle rate and 30% landfill use.

As always, I welcome any comments or input you may have about this report.

Happy Recycling!

© 2010 Recycle Life, LLC
RecyGal^© logo and the RecyGal character are registered trademarks of Recycle Life , LLC

References for this article were obtained from: “What’s Next for Landfills?”, Gardner, R, MSW Management, Vol. 20, No. 4, Applied Research Foundation, solid Waste Association of North America, “The Regional Privately-Owned Landfill Trend and Its Impact on Integrated Solid Waste Management Systems”, February 2007, p. 11, “Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States Detailed Tables and Figures for 2008”, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery, November 2009, “Recycling and Waste-to-Energy: Are they compatible?” 2009 Update, E. Berenyi, Governmental Advisory Associates, Inc, June 2009, http://www.wte.org/userfiles/file/2009%20Berenyi%20recycling%20update.pdf “Striving for Consistency: Standardizing Recycling Measurements”, H. Pillsbury, EPA, www.epa.gov, “Recycling Rates Rise in New Jersey but Still Don’t Meet Goal”, T. Bates, November 16, 2009, www.enviroguy.com, “Local Recycling Surviving after Market Collaspe”, C. Gaetano, Sentinel , December 23, 2008, “The State of Garbage in America”, P. Simmons, et.al., BioCycle, April 2006, Vol. 47, No.4, p.26, www.recyclingworkscampaign.org, http://www.maine.gov/spo/recycle/, http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/141734.html, http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/documents/greeningrhodeisland.doc, “Greening Rhode Island”, An Issues Paper by the Rhode Island Senate Policy Office, January 2008, http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/documents/greeningrhodeisland.doc, http://www.maine.gov/spo/recycle/, http://www.eagletribune.com/newhampshire/x1412996105/Low-recycling-rates-strain-town-budgets, http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/green/articles/2010/03/14despite_environmentalists_pleas_massachusetts_recycling_rate_stalls/, “Beyond Dipsoal and Recycling: Preventing Waste Generation”, G. Crombie, Vermont College Chapel, Montpeiler, VT, April 12, 2007, http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/wastediv/R3/conference/crombiesolidwastespeech.pdf, http://www.des.nh.gov/media/pr/documents/081008.pdf, http://www/awm.delaware.gov/Pages/Recycling.aspx, http://www.americanobserver.net/2008/02/06/dc-recycling-fails-to-hit-its-mark/, http://www.green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/06/new-york-state-a-recycling-reprobate/,http://macredo.org/programs_md.php, http://www.state.wv.us/swmb/2009%20%State%20Plan/Appendix%201.pdf, http://www/environmentalistseveryday.org/docs/research-bulleting/Research-Bulletin-MSW-Recycling-10-05.pdf, http://www.adeq.state.ar.us/solwaste/branch_recycling/pdfs/report_state_of_recycling_2007_2008.pdf, “State of Recycling in Arkansas- 2007-2008″, Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, January 2009, http://www.recyclingworkscampaign.org

If you are interested in improving the air quality of your home, I suggest you read this book. I use this book to purchase plants for my home. The common indoor plants featured in the book are all rated for their ability to remove toxins from the air. The informaiton is all based on plant studies conducted by NASA. This is one book you are sure to refer to many times.

Often altered to more toxic forms during industrial processes, heavy metals take to the wind, settle into the soil, and leach into our waterways. Heavy metals can contaminate ecosystems across long distances. Posing the most risk to human health are arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium.

While the above mentioned metals may be considered the most toxic, overexposure to any heavy metal is potentially harmful. The cleanup of aluminum, chromium, copper, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, and zinc are worldwide endeavors too.

Conventional techniques, like excavation, can be used to rid soils of these contaminates. But what if bringing in the excavation equipment, digging up the earth, hauling the contaminated soil off to a landfill, and replacing the recently excavated soil with good soil is simply too costly? What if the contaminated site is not easily accessible to heavy equipment?

Phytoextraction may be the answer.

Phytoextraction, a type of soil remediation, is the use of plants to remove contaminates from the soil. If the proper plants and harvest techniques are employed, metals can be extracted from the soil and then recycled. Now this is truly green technology.

Since the early 1980’s scientists around the world have been investigating the best plants and methods for the job. The beauty of this technology is that it is less costly than excavation, often uses indigenous plants, and leaves clean soil behind. Since heavy metal contamination often resides at the top layers of soil, using plants to uptake these metals is a viable recovery option. But, what kinds of plants are suitable for phytoextraction? Plants that naturally thrive in heavily metallic soils are good contenders, but it is not only plants that thrive but ones that uptake higher than normal quantities of metal into their roots and stems that make the grade. These plants are known as “hyperaccumulators”. Most hyperaccumulators are metal specific. Although there are no specific uptake standards required for a plant to be designated as a hyperaccumulator, most researchers look for at least 1% metal uptake to dry plant weight (however, actual percentages can be 15% or higher). In the case of gold (yes, even gold can be harvested) the amount is milligrams per kilogram.

Phytoextraction is a simple process that can produce great results. The metal specific hyperaccumulator is planted on top of the contaminated soil. If foraging by wildlife or livestock is a concern, the remediation area is properly contained. The plant is grown and harvested. The best hyperaccumulators pass metals through their roots systems to be accumulated in their stalks and stems. The metal from these plants can be easily harvested by cutting; the plant remains in the soil to re-grow and continue accumulating. In the case of root accumulators, the entire plant must be harvested and then replanted for future “metal crop”. As with most agricultural processes, it takes time to create results. Remediating contaminated soil by phytoextraction often involves several crop growing cycles. However, you only have to look at the following plants to see that phytoremediation is a beautiful thing. All photos are public domain stock images. In the case that citation is required for image use, it is listed next to the photo.

Thlaspi caerulescens

Commonly known as Alpine pennycress, Thlaspi caerulescens is a small, perennial plant with tiny white flowers. Found mainly in the western USA and northern Europe, this little plant is best known for its ability to hyperaccumulate cadmium and zinc. It has also been successfully used to remediate iron, copper, and molybdenum contaminated soils. Alpine pennycress is proving to be a mulit-metal hyperaccumulator!

Solanum tuberosum

The ubiquitous Potato or Solanum tuberosum is a herbaceous perennial plant and depending on its variety can have white, pink, blue, or purple flowers. Studies conducted in Europe have determined that the potato plant is a hyperaccumulator of aluminum. Accumulating this heavy metal in the roots, leaves, and tubers, the entire plant should be harvested during phytoextraction.

Ipomoea carnea

The Bush Morning Glory or Ipomoea carnea originated in the tropical Americas and is a shrub that grows 4 to 16 feet tall. The beauty of the its pink flowers make it a choice ornamental plant. Having a strong alkaloid content the Bush Morning Glory is unpalatable to many herbivores and best left to grow rather than be eaten. It is a proven hyperaccumulator of the heavy metal chromium.

Photo by Clarence A. Rechenthin @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Hibiscus cannabius

Kenaf or Hibiscus cannabinus is an annual herbaceous plant of African origin. Although traditionally grown to make rope in Africa and Asia, Kenaf leaves are edible and the woody stalks are often used for fuel. The economic and cultural importance of Kenaf to developing societies has sparked much research into the cultivation and potential uses for the plant. In Nigeria, research is underway to determine the best methods for using Kenaf for the phytoextraction of cadmium.

Alyssum murale

Alyssum murale, commonly known as Yellowtuft, is an annual broad leaved, non-woody, non-grass herb found in all USA states except Alaska and Hawaii. Most prevalent in the states of Colorado and Michigan, this meadow loving plant is a hyperaccumulator of nickel.

Permission granted to use image under GFDL by Kurt Stueber

Conyza canadensis

Canadian Horseweed or Conyza canadensis is an annual plant growing up to four and a half feet tall. Considered a weed, this flowering plant can be found thorough most of North America and Central America. It is a hyperaccumulator of manganese.

Elsholtzia splendens

Elsholtzia splendens or Aromatic Madder is a deciduous shrub found throughout Europe and Asia. Growing between three and six feet high, its aromatic, lilac-colored flowers bloom during summer. Used in traditional chinese medicine to treat headaches, chills, abdominal pain and fevers, Aromatic Madder is also a well known hyperaccumulator of copper.

Brassica juncea

Indian Mustard or Brassica juncea is a species of the mustard plant. Originating in Asia, the plant has been introduced around the world. This drought tolerant plant typically growns in full sun and in most soil types. It can be found growing along railroads, roadsides, and in vacant lots. With edible leaves, seeds, and stems it is often an ingredient of Asian, African, and Indian cuisine. Given its widespread habitat and ability to grow in poor soil conditions, this plant has been well researched for its hyperaccumulation capabilties. Indian mustard is a hyperaccumulator of lead, cadmium, and selenium.

Helianthus annus L

The Sunflower or Helianthus annus L is an annual plant native to the Americas. Reaching heights of five to twelve feet, it is best grown under full sun in fertile, well-drained soil. Helianthus annnus L is not only beautiful but grown commerically for its seeds and extracted oil. Research into the hyperaccumulator properties of the Sunflower have shown it to be effective for the phytoextraction of arsenic and lead.

Pteris vittata L.

Pteris vittata L. or the Ladder Brake Fern is native to China. Best grown in the shade, the fern is found throughout the southeastern USA and also in California. Ladder Brake Fern is a hyperaccumulator of arsenic.

From the above information it is apparent that remediating heavy metal contaminated soil with hyperaccumulating plants is a more nature friendly, less invasive process than removing the soil with heavy construction equipment. But, what do you do with all the metal laden plant material that is harvested?

Research has shown that incineration is a viable method for handling harvested hyperaccumulators. When the plant material is incinerated, the metal(s) can be recovered, hence, recycled. Volatile heavy metals like mercury and cadmium and intermediate volatile metals like zinc and lead become part of the incineration emissions and can be are captured with filters. Non-volatile metals like nickel, chromium, and copper do not enter the gaseous phase but remain in the bottom ash after all the material has been burned. These captured metals are then collected and recycled. With many communities incinerating municipal solid waste (MSW) rather than sending it to landfills, harvested hyperaccumulators can even be incorporated into the MSW stream.

Phytoextraction is a sound technology that is gaining momentum. Seeking greener, less expensive methods for cleaning up the environment , governments around the world are backing university research in this area. The validation of new hyperaccumulators, improved methods, and the support of the private sector will ensure this eco-friendly technology continues to advance. For those of you who wish to learn more about the phytoextraction of metals, check out the book below.

Happy Green Reading!

© 2010 Recycle Life, LLC
The RecyGal^©logo and the RecyGal^© character are registered trademarks of Recycle Life , LLC

References for this article: “Thermal Treatment of Metal-Enriched Biomass Produced from Heavy Metal Phytoextraction”, Keller, Catherine, et al, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland, Environmental Science &Technology, Vol. 39, No. 9, 2005, “New Methods of Cleaning Up Heavy Metal in Soils and Water, Lambert, M., et al, Environmental Science and Technology Briefs for Citizens, Great Plains/Rocky Mountain Hazardous Substance Reach Center, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, “Phytoremediation and Metal Speciation in Highway Soils”, Kumari Padmavathiamma, P., The University of British Columbia, April 2010, “Phytoextraction-Removing Toxins from the Soil using Plants”, www.bluedominos.com, “Phytoremediation potential of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) grown in different soil textures and cadmium concentrations”, Saheed Bada. B, Adekunle Raji, K., Dept. of Environmental Management and Toxicology, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, April 12, 2010, Comparative Uptake and Phytoextraction Study of Soil induced Chromium by Accumulator and High Biomass Weed Species, Ghosh, M., Singh, S.P., Biomass and Waste Management Laboratory, School of Energy and Environmental Studies, Delhi Ahilya University, Indore, India. Goyer, R. A., “Toxic Effects of Metals.” In Casarett & Doull’s Toxicology: Basic Science of Poisons, ed. C. D. Klaassen. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996, Hawkes, S. J. (1997). “What Is a Heavy Metal?” Journal of Chemical Education, Vol. 74, No. 1374, 1997, United Nations (1998). Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution on Heavy Metals, www.unece.org/env/lrtap/protocol/98hm.htm, “Phytoremediation, Hyperaccumulators”, Hyperaccumulators, Table 1, www.reference.com/browse/melastoma+malabathricum, “The influence of the Root Zone Temperature on the Phytoextraction of Boron and Aluminium with Potato Plants Growing I the Field, Baghour,M., et.all, Departme of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, SW-901 83 Umea, Sweden, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Grandad, E-18071, Granada, Spain, Department of Plant Biology, EUP Agricultural Engineering and Technology, 04120 Almeria, Spain, Department of Horticulture, CIFA , Puchil Way S/N 18004-Granada, Spain, November 2005, “Arsenic, As”, Kaslow, J. MD,, www.drkaslow.com/html/arsenic.html, “Arsenic hyperaccumulation in ferns: a review”, The Royal Society of Environmental Chemistry Group, Bulletin, July 2003, www.wilkipedia.com, www.hort.perdue.edu/newcrop/cropfactsheets/kenaf.html,
www.sagevud.com/yellowtuft-alyssum-murale/, www.acupuncturetoday.com/herbcentral/elsholtzia.php , www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/indian-mustard.htm,www.plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/353

For kids, recycling is often first learned about in the classroom. Today’s on-line availablitly of free recycling-themed games and learning tools is helping educators teach the importance of environmental stewardship. Many on-line recycling games stretch far beyond the classroom when students play them with siblings and friends on home computers too. Recycling enthusiastic kids also encourage their parents to recycle.

Many eco-conscious websites offer free recycling themed educational games. National Geographic’s Recycle RoundUp features a cute ape who with the click of the mouse sorts trash into the proper bin: recycling, non-recycling, or compost. At the end of the game, the player receives a score and learns how many pounds (or kilograms) of trash were successfully sorted. Unfortunately, the game does have one fundamental flaw- electronic devices such as cell phones and clocks are disposed of in the non-recycling bin. Since cell phone recycling programs are often used as fundraisers for schools and organizations, I think most kids have probably seen cell phone collection bins in their school facitilites. Despite the non-recyclability of electronic devices, the game is a fun learning experience for kids. For the outdoorsy type, Creek Cleanup’s toucan nets trash as it floats down the creek. At the end of the game, the player receives a score.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) website features the game, Recycle City. This downloadable, animated environment teaches older kids, teens, and even adults how items can be recycled. Players click on a specific site within the city to read a short recycling related story about that particular location. Dumptown (the predecessor of Recycle City) is still available on the EPA website. In Dumptown, the player is the new city manager who chooses programs to encourage citizens and businesses to recycle. Both games are packed with useful recycling information.

The environmental organization, Keep American Beautiful, uses the game Clean Sweep U.S.A. to spread the environmental word. Three electronic comic books featuring the “Garbage Goon”, allow readers to click through the trash, litter, and beautification stories. A recycling must read for all young comic book fans.

For a one-time payment of $USD 7.99 recycling enthusiasts can download the game, Recyclorama, a Hawaiian inspired game featuring the heroine, Mia, who saves her home and the world from being buried under trash. The one shortcoming of Recyclorama is a lack of composting; all food stuffs go in the waste bin! I wonder if Hawaiians’ do actually compost all those banana peels and pineapple rinds?

For the recycling wordsmith, there is a free Recycling Word Search game. This site also provides short, interesting facts about recycling.

For those of us hooked on the iPhone, several free recycling apps are available. To keep things concise, I’ll just list a few:

iRecycle from Earth 911 enables recyclers to search for recycling locations and suggest green events to be listed on the site.

EcoLife Style provides energy saving tips for a greener lifestyle.

Recycling News provides current European-based information on topics such as waste, lifecycle, energy policy, and law. Depending on the news, it can be written in German or English. Recycling News is a great resource for anyone interested in European green initiatives. Readers with a good command of the German language will benefit the most from this application.

Compost Bin is a helpful tool for the serious composter who wants to keep track of his or her compost bin contents and respective Carbon/Nitrogen ratios.

Green dotTribes is a news and blogs aggregator covering environmental issues. It is managed by the community and users.

For the gamer, there are I-Dig and Zombie Recycling Inc.: Moldy Green. These amusing apps will entertain you with worms, spiders, and even zombies. Zombies are proof that recycling goes way beyond bottles and cans!

For large recycling businesses, SAP offers Waste and Recycling Applications as extensions of its main program. These applications enable users to “successfully implement efficient, end-to-end processes that help you minimize total cost of ownership and maximize return on investment and profitability”. Now, that sounds like financial lingo if I’ve ever heard it. While many of us recycle because it is good for the environment, we must not forget that recycling is a profit driven business. To learn more about the various waste and recycling software extensions offered by SAP, please visit: Waste Recycling SAP Solution Extensions.

Today’s recycling themed software, games, and apps can help us to learn about recycling and to keep track of our recycling progress. Recycling at our finger tips makes it easier to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Please let me know about other recycling software and apps that you have found to be helpful. Good submissions will be posted.

Here’s a game you may want to consider playing:

Happy computing and gaming!

© 2010 Recycle Life, LLC
The RecyGal logo^© and the RecyGal ^©character, are registered trademarks of Recycle Life , LLC

In the past, the shrink wrap simply went to landfills. Today, thanks to boaters, marinas, and boatyards that care about the environment, hundreds of tons are now being reused and recycled.

Lake Marina with Shrink Wrapped Boats

This successful shrink wrap recycling program, initiated in 2006 in Ohio, expanded to nearby states in only its second year of operation. Today, Mondo Polymer Technologies collects used boat shrink wrap to recycle in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, and Delaware. Ron Wesel, Materials Acquisition Manager for MPT, says that since its 2007 expansion, 1,900,000 pounds of shrink wrap has been collected and recycled. With most boats requiring between 14 to 25 pounds of shrink wrap, MPT has recycled used shrink wrap from about 100,000 boats. That’s a lot of #4 LDPE (low density polyethylene) plastic being kept out of land-fills! To learn more about the MPT’s reclamation program and recycled products, please visit: Mondo Polymer Technologies.

But we are a big water country. With our coastal waterways existing far beyond the Midwest and Mid Atlantic regions, what do our fellow boaters in large water states like Florida, Texas, or California do with their used shrink wrap? Well, in these warmer climates where the boating season can be year round, boat shrink wrapping is not as prevalent as in colder climate states. However, everywhere there is boating; there is a need for shrink wrap. In these areas, companies who offer boat shrink wrapping services like Dr. Shrink, Inc. and Fast Wrap also offer shrink wrap recycling kits. Basically, these “rebag” kits consist of a plastic collection bag, recycling instructions, and a pre-paid mailing label so the used shrink wrap can be simply shipped back to the purveyor who then recycles it. Reclaimed shrink wrap from Dr. Shrink, Inc. and Fast Wrap can end up in a variety of products ranging from trash bags to composite lumber. Each kit holds enough shrink wrap to cover a 26 foot boat. With 95% of all leisure boats under 26 feet in length, these kits work for most boaters. To recycle the shrink wrap from a larger boat, more than one kit must be used. To find the nearest Dr. Shrink or Fast Wrap location or learn more about their “rebag” recycle kits, please visit their respective websites at: Dr. Shrink and Fast Wrap.

Where there is boating, there is fishing. Monofilament fishing line, commonly known as nylon fishing line, can cause severe damage to marine ecosystems by entangling and killing aquatic life. Fish, birds, and mammals can all suffer from life threatening injuries when they become entangled in the barely visible, thin plastic line as it floats within our waterways. Keeping this sinister polluter at bay is essential to ensure our marine environments remain safe harbors for wildlife.

Fishing Line Recycling Station

Where is the Recycling Bin?

All photographs and/or images received will be the property of Recycle Life, LLC and can at the company’s discretion be posted on the RecyGal.com blog. Please make sure you send your mailing address along with the photo. Please make your submission to:RecyGal

As always, thanks for reading my blog.

Happy boating, fishing, and photographing!

© 2010 Recycle Life, LLC
The RecyGal logo^© and the RecyGal ^©character, are registered trademarks of Recycle Life , LLC

References for this article were obtained from, “It’s a wrap: Recycling program aids marinas”, Waste News, July 21, 2008, Recycling, www.fastwrapusa.com, “Pilot Project Will Recycle Shrink Wrap From Boats”, US Fed News Service, April 15, 2008. “Dr. Shrink sells the Rebag as the environmental answer to the question, “come spring, what do I do with the shrink wrap that’s been on my boat all winter?”, National Fisherman, January 1, 2008, “Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Department of Correction Partner to Offer Marinas, Boat Storage Facilities”, US Fed News Service, April 1, 2008.

Earth Day NYC 2010

On the first Earth Day, 20 million Americans marched down city streets, gathered in community parks, and protested on college campuses to the let our government and industries know that we cared about the air pollution, toxic waste, loss of natural landscape, and litter that was damaging the environment. The message rang out loud and was heard clearly. Earth Day 1970 set the stage for creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and many of the laws which now protect the environment.

This year’s main event (now held in Times Square rather than Central Park) featured such notable speakers as Ban Ki-Moon (Secretary General of The United Nations), Barry Caldwell (Waste Management Executive and Chairman of Keep America Beautiful), and The Honorable Mayor Bloomberg. Even Al Gore made a video appearance!

The event celebrated not only how much greener New York City is becoming, but how far we have come as a nation to take environmental stewardship seriously. What struck me immediately was that Earth Day is no longer about the culture of youth clashing with the titans of industry, but about people from all walks of life working together with the goal of preserving our precious earth. School children, business executives, entertainers, and politicians came together to celebrate all the good things that we have accomplished and to recognize how far we still have to go.

Speaker Barry Caldwell reminded us, “We are not recycling as much as we did 15 years ago”. Despite this discouraging news, incentives are underway to increase the recycling rate. One initiative between Waste Management, PepsiCo, and Entrepreneur Boot Camp for Veterans (EBCV), will strive to take the nation’s current recycling rate from 30- 34% to 50% by 2018. Just how will they accomplish this? The answer is the “Dream Machine”.

Jeremy Cage, Chief Marketing Officer for PepsiCo, explained that the Dream Machine project will not only help to increase the recycling rate but help veterans fulfill their dreams of starting their own businesses. For every bottle recycled via a Dream Machine, PepsiCo will make a donation to the EBCV program. EBCV provides disabled veterans with a free university education in Entrepreneurial Business Studies and helps to support them financially when they are starting their businesses.

So, what is a “Dream Machine?” It is a reverse vending machine developed by Tomra Industries to collect spent plastic bottles. Reverse vending machines have been used successfully in California (where plastic bottles have a deposit law) to collect plastic bottles at local shopping centers for recycling. Consumers simply deposit their used bottles in the automated machines. For each bottle deposited, a monetary refund is awarded; in California that means 10 cents for each 24 ounce plastic bottle! Behind the scenes, The State of California pays processing fees to shopping centers for emptying the machines and issuing refunds; the State also compensates independent haulers who cart the bottles from the machines to recycling stations. For several years California’s beverage container recycling program ran smoothly, then things got messy. With the downturn of the world economy, demand for used plastic dried up in Asia . (Most of California’s spent plastic bottles were shipped to Asia because the price per pound was highest). As the demand for reclaimable plastic slowed, it was apparent the program was in trouble and needed funding. However, there were no reserves to tap. Why? Because hundreds of millions of dollars from the beverage container recycling fund had been funneled off for use in other state programs. To try and keep the program alive, the State of California had to reduce handling fees and funding to several recycling-rated programs by 85%. By last November, further fees cuts were made and handling fees were totally eliminated. Tomra Industries filed a law suit against the State of California. On March 8, 2010, Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger enacted an urgent measure, Assembly Bill 7, to help to restore the program to working order. The jury is still out.

While recycling with Pepsico’s Dream Machine will not provide bottle deposit returns, it will enable users to obtain coupons for product discounts. To learn more about Pepsico’s Dream Machine, visit: “Dream Machine”

While we all love machination, machines do have an effect on our climate. This weekend a climate rally will take place on the National Mall in Washington, DC, to let Congress know that as citizens, many of us believe a comprehensive climate bill that will cap green house gas emissions is needed to help alleviate global warming. With global warming literally looming over our heads, I believe more cost effective, lower carbon footprint plastic bottle collection alternatives could best support public recycling efforts.

A leading recycling container company, Recyclingbin.com, LLC, offers the Event Recycling Kiosk^TM a public collection bin that is made from up to 3O% recycled plastic and is itself 100% recyclable. The unit offers 92 square feet of messaging space, holds 2,400 plastic bottles, and even folds flat for storage and shipping. Could I be envisioning a truly eco-friendly Dream Machine? What do you think? Please visit: “Recyclingbin.com” to learn more about the Event Recycling Kiosk^TM.

In the spirit of recycling, a truly great effort is being spearheaded by the City of New York. According to Mayor Bloomberg, “Folks you ain’t seen nothing yet”. New York City council plans to expand plastics’ recycling beyond PET #1 and HDPE #2 to include all plastics. Now, that’s leading the nation’s plastic recycling effort! Go New York!!

Mayor Bloomberg

All in all, Earth Day indicated that recycling is still, Top of Mind, for everyone.

Happy Recycling!

© 2010 Recycle Life, LLC
The RecyGal^TM and the RecyGal character, are trademarks of Recycle Life , LLC

References for this article were obtained from, “40 years ago, a day that started the movement”, “Earth Day”, Special Edition, “History of Earth Day”, www.earthday.net, “Bottle Bill Campaigns: California”, Assembly Bill 7, www.bottlebill.org, “Pepsico in Recycling Push”, The Wall Street Journal, April 22, 2010, www.recyclingbin.com

You’ll be heard in Washington. -R.G.