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Source: kaboom.org

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Step by step DIY instructions for how to build a recycle/trash bin that you can add to your playground or other play space.

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How to start a school recycling program?

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How to start a school recycling program?

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Source: www.recyclingbin.com

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Starting a school recycling program can seem like a daunting task. Addressing a few key questions can help you to best manage your available finances and get your project off to a great start.

1. How many "recyclers" will be participating in the program?

Will your recycling program encompass an entire school district, certain grades, or just one classroom? Determine the number of students, teachers, and office staff that will be recycling. Allow for extracurricular "recyclers" such as visiting sports teams.

2. What type of recyclables will we collect?

Plastic and glass bottles, aluminum cans, paper, newsprint, and cardboard are mainstays of most recycling programs. Since most schools have cafeterias, it is important to find out if foodservice recyclables will be included in the program. If so, #10 cans, Styrofoam cups, compostable food trays, leftovers, and plastic wrap may need to be considered. Interview all school departments (especially the maintenance crew) and ask for their input.

3. What type of recycling bins do we need?

The proper recycling containers are critical for program success. Determine which materials will be collected separately and which materials will be co-mingled. Use different colored bins for different collection types. Choose a deposit lid that selects for specific recyclables such as a round deposit for cans and bottles and an elongated deposit for papers. Clearly identify the type of recyclable collected by using signage and labels on each bin. Locate collection bins side by side and add a coordinating trash bin. Keeping garbage out of your recyclables will keep your recyclables out of a landfill.

Younger students need smaller, shorter bins so they can easily deposit their items. Bins with bold colors and eye-catching graphics can help to identify the bins and bring a touch of fun to recycling. Teens and adults benefit from containers that clearly identify bin collection type. Actively engage students to put up recycling signs and posters. Consider incorporating school mascots or team logos on the recycling containers. Use school pride and team spirit to raise recycling awareness and support for the program.

4. Where should the bins be located?

Place bins in high traffic areas and where they are most needed. Lobbies, cafeterias, gymnasiums, breakrooms, and photo copier stations can be key placement areas. If your program will collect recyclables both inside the school and out of doors, you may need to consider distinct types of bins for these different areas. Depending on where your school is located, the intensity of the sun, rain, wind, and amount of snowfall may influence the bin material specifications required for outdoor collection.

5. Who will haul away the recyclables?

If your municipality does not collect the recyclables, this is where a little number crunching can help. Recyclables have resale value so, if possible, chose a hauler that offers discounts based on the market value of your recyclables. When it comes to scrap value, white paper and aluminum cans are low hanging fruit. Some haulers even provide statistics on your collection, i.e. "Year- to- date your paper recycling has saved 10 Trees". Information like this can be a great motivator for the program.

6. How can we fund the recycling program?

Many local and state governments offer grants and incentives for schools to establish recycling programs. Browse the web or Google "Recycling grants for schools name of your state or town" and see if anything relevant comes up. Phone the municipal waste department of your town and ask if there are any school recycling grants. More often than not, parents are also eager to assist with fundraisers and donations for these programs.

Recycling programs do not need to be expensive, they need to be effective. Successful recycling programs have high participation and strong collection rates. When thinking about your program always ask yourself, "How can I use my funding to encourage individuals to strongly participate in the program?"

Seek recycling program volunteers from your school's student environmental club, its maintenance department, or even the P.T.A. Working together will ensure a successful recycling program. I hope these questions have served to spark a few ideas for your program.

Happy Recycling!

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The RecyGal© TM and the RecyGal© character, logo are trademarks and registered copyrights of Recyclingbin.com. All Rights Reserved.

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Starting a school recycling program can seem like a daunting task. Addressing a few key questions can help you to best manage your available finances and get your project off to a great start. Will your recycling program encompass an entire school district, certain grades, or just one classroom?

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Source: www.diycrafts.com

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Have you gotten on the recycling kick yet? If you haven't, you really should. Not only is it good for the environment, it can help you tremendously when you're doing DIY projects. If you've been thinking of beginning your recycling or you've been recycling and just need a new station to keep your recyclables organized, I've got just the collection of ideas for you. I've found 20 easy DIY home recycling bins and stations that you can make in very little time and many of these can be made with things that you already have on hand...so they're free.

I really love doing DIY projects with my recycling. From bottles to broken furniture, I adore turning something that would otherwise be trash into a new treasure. Just take a look at these 25 bottle cap upcycling projects. You can do these with caps from those soda bottles that you save in your recycling bins. There are tons of ways to use up the bottles, as well. So, if you aren't recycling, you should be and I've got just the easy DIY recycling bins to get you started.

From recycling stations that you can hide behind the door to save space to those that you build outside that have their own shed, you're going to love all of these different ways that you can get on the recycling bandwagon. Recycling is so great for the Earth and it's a wonderful way to teach kids responsibility - there are some great kid friendly recycling bins that you can make, too. From plastic and paper to tin cans and everything in between, you'll see some wonderful recycling station ideas that you can begin implementing immediately. And, if you typically save paper like newspapers and magazines, you need to take a look at these 30 crafty ways to upcycle those old magazines.

I hope I've gotten you excited about recycling for your DIY projects. Even if you don't plan to use your recycling for projects, it's a great idea to keep certain items separated from your normal trash. These great DIY recycling bin ideas should be plenty to get you started on your way to recycling fame.

1. Behind The Door Recycling Station

You don't need a lot of space to create a great recycling station. This behind the door solution is perfect if you live in an apartment or tiny house. This would be great behind the kitchen or mudroom door. Just hang up your recycling bins and then pull them down when you need to empty them. You can use anything from reusable plastic bags to small wooden crates to hold your recyclables.

Tutorial/Source: makeit-loveit

2. DIY Pantry Recycling Center

You certainly don't want a lot of trash in the same pantry where you keep your food, especially if that trash tends to spill over or fall into the floor. This DIY pantry recycling center is perfect for keeping the pantry organized and having a place for all that plastic and paper. You can build these out of corrugated plastic and they're super simple to make.

Tutorial/Source: manmadediy

3. Easy Metal Bucket Recycling Station

These metal buckets are perfect for keeping your recycling organized. Whether you put them on the deck, in the garage, or even hang them on a wall in the kitchen, they're inexpensive and hold quite a bit depending on the size that you buy. Just attach printed out labels or paint a custom label on each one so that everyone knows where each recyclable goes.

Tutorial/Source: sarahhearts

4. DIY Double Bin Recycling Station

In my house, we worry more about soda cans and plastic bottles with regards to recycling, so this double bin recycling station would be perfect. If you only need two spaces for recyclables, this is a pretty easy build and it's absolutely gorgeous when it's finished. It'll cost you around $100 if you don't have any of the required materials, which isn't bad at all. But, if you have a few boards laying around the house, you can get this done for much less.

Tutorial/Source: ana-white

5. Quick And Easy DIY Recycling Bin

You can instantly turn an ordinary plastic trash can into a recycling bin. You just need to label it and then instruct your family to place their plastic, metal or paper in there. This one is really inexpensive as well. If you don't have a plastic trash can on hand, you can pick them up at the Dollar Store for less than $10, which makes this a really cheap solution for recycling organization.

Tutorial/Source: 11magnolialane

6. Repurposed Filing Cabinet Recycling Bin

You can turn an old filing cabinet into a great little recycling station with just a bit of work. If you don't have a metal filing cabinet, you can get these at thrift stores for around $10 or so. You simply remove the top drawer and then add trash cans that are labeled with your recycling. The bottom drawer pulls out, revealing your recycling bins and when it's closed, the bins are hidden from view.

Tutorial/Source: hometalk

7. DIY Hidden Recycling Station

I love the idea of hiding away the recycling station. It's not that I mind recycling - I just like things to be in order and having trash in view just doesn't sit well with me. That's why I adore this hidden recycling station. You can't even tell that it's a recycling bin at all. It's an upcycled kitchen cabinet that looks for all the world like an expensive piece of furniture - underneath and hidden penalty away are all the recycling bins you need.

Tutorial/Source: projectophile

8. Repurposed Tote Stackable Recycling Bins

You can buy stackable recycling bins or you can make them yourself. Personally, I prefer the DIY way and these repurposed totes are perfect for stackable recycling. You simply choose the size of totes that you want or need, cut out a section in the front to place your recyclables inside and then stack them. You can even remove the lids if needed to remove the recyclables when you're ready to haul them off - or repurpose them.

Tutorial/Source: homesteadprep

9. Stackable Milk Crate Recycling Storage

Plastic milk crates are great for any number of DIY projects. I love the idea of using these to organize your recycling, and there are a few different ways that you can do so. You can stack them up in the mudroom or on the porch with labels for your recycling items or you can even hang them on the wall. They make a wonderful shelving unit and give you so many spaces for all of your recyclables.

Tutorial/Source: pinterest

10. IKEA Cupboard Recycling Center Hack

You can turn an ordinary IKEA cupboard into a lovely recycling station that's hidden away from view. Plus, this one is accessible from the top so you merely have to remove the lid to drop in your recyclables. The doors then open for easy removal of your recyclables. This is a really gorgeous cabinet and the entire station doesn't take much work - or much money.

Tutorial/Source: ikeahackers

11. DIY Kid-Friendly Recycling Station

It's a great idea to teach your little ones to recycle and the younger the better. This kid-friendly recycling station is sure to make recycling fun so that they'll continue doing it long after they are grown. The trick is in letting them help you to make the recycling station and it can be done from empty cardboard boxes. Let them draw or paint pictures or designs and they'll always want to place their trash in the right recycling bins.

Tutorial/Source: momtastic

12. DIY Outdoor Hidden Recycling Station

You can easily build this outdoor recycling station in a weekend and it doesn't cost much at all. If you prefer to keep your recyclables outdoors, this is perfect. It's a little shed that completely hides those bins away and it looks great wherever you choose to put it. You could build it on the deck or porch if you don't have anywhere in the yard to place it and it won't take away from your outdoor décor at all.

Tutorial/Source: sunset

13. Repurposed Metal Trash Can Recycling

These metal trash cans are perfect for recycling - they're trash cans! You don't have to just place metal cans on the porch or deck, though. You can decorate those cans and make them blend in well with your existing outdoor décor. These can also be used indoors and they have plenty of space for keeping all of those recyclables organized.

Tutorial/Source: sweethaute

14. Repurposed Laundry Sorter Recycling Bin

If you have a laundry sorter that you are no longer using, you can easily convert it into a recycling station. Even if you don't have one on hand, these aren't terribly expensive. The great thing about these laundry sorters are they are on wheels so taking that recycling out to the car will be a cinch. Or, you could make it stationary and simply build a cabinet around it to hide it away.

Tutorial/Source: diydanielle

15. Upcycled Shopping Bag Recycling Bins

Plastic coated shopping bags are perfect for recycling, particularly those with flat bottoms. They have handles that are sturdy enough to carry that recycling to the recycling center, so you don't even have to bag it up when you're ready. Line the bags up on a shelf or hang them on the wall or the back of the door if you're low on space.

Tutorial/Source: bhg.com

16. Easy DIY Rolling Recycling Storage

Kids are going to love these low to the ground recycling bins. You make them with totes and house them in a rolling cart. This lets you set up a cute little station that is easy for the kids to reach and it gives them a wonderful opportunity to grab some of those plastic bottles and other recyclables for art projects.

Tutorial/Source: handmadecharlotte

17. Slide In Laundry Basket Recycling

Okay, so this one is actually an organizer for laundry, but it would make the perfect recycling station. The concept is the same. Just build the slide in cabinet and then label your laundry baskets for the items that you want to recycle. The entire project is really cheap and you can have it all put together in a weekend or less. It's perfect for organizing recyclables if you don't have a lot of space available.

Tutorial/Source: makeit-loveit

18. Stackable Garage Recycling Station

Turn totes into the perfect stackable recycling station for the garage. You just have to hang the totes on the wall - 2X4s can help with this - and then label them. The totes lift up and off the boards so you can easily empty them and this helps to keep them off the garage floor so you save precious space that you may need for other items.

Tutorial/Source: familyhandyman

19. Upcycled Wooden Pallet Recycling Bin

If you need to hide away those recycling bins, this upcycled wooden pallet idea is perfect. You can use it like a stand for plants or anything you want and it holds your trash can underneath where you keep your recyclables. Note that this is only for one trash bin, so if you have several different recycling types, you'll need to build one for each. The good thing is that these are pretty easy to build and pallets are really cheap, so they won't cost much at all.

Tutorial/Source: savedbylovecreations

20. Repurposed Wooden Crate Recycling Bins

Wooden crates are great for decorating and they're also great for organization. This DIY recycling station is made from inexpensive wooden crates and gives you loads of room for those recyclables. If you don't have wooden crates on hand and don't want to buy them, you can make them yourself. They stack on top of each other easily so they also help you to save space.

Tutorial/Source: laurasplans

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20 DIY Home Recycling Bins That Help You Organize Your Recyclables

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Have you gotten on the recycling kick yet? If you haven't, you really should. Not only is it good for the environment, it can help you tremendously when you're doing DIY projects. If you've been thinking of beginning your recycling or you've been recycling and just need a new station to keep your recyclables organized, I've got just the collection of ideas for you.

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This recycling bin is made from recycled water bottles. We wanted to reduce our footprint on the Earth so we created a way to reuse things that leave a big impact on the environment. We chose water bottles because we believe it effects the Earth greatly. Making more of these recycling bins from wasted bottles could save the Earth from a lot of waste, which would reduce help save the Earth. The recycling bin sends a message that there are innovative ways to help the Earth.

Step 1: Materials

20 of 16.9 Ounce water bottles
Glue Gun
Glue Sticks
Carboard
Calculator
Ruler
Spray Paint

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Step 2: The Water Bottles

First, start with a 16.9 ounce bottle and calculate the area and volume. These measurements will show how much this recycling bin can hold.

Step 3: Assembly

Take the water bottles and attach 6 water bottles by the side on the long side. On the short side, put 3 water bottles next to each other.
Attach all the bottles on to a cardboard piece.

Step 4: Design

You can put any design on the bin. In our example, we painted it green.

Step 5: Finished Product

Now you can put anything you would like into the bin!

Step 6: Does the Recycling Bin Involve Math?

This recycling bin involves math in various ways. These recycling bins can save plastic that would lay in landfills. Each bin can save 3271.66cm² plastic for each bottle and 65,433.2cm² for each bin. Imagine the difference it can make!

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Recycling Bin: This recycling bin is made from recycled water bottles. We wanted to reduce our footprint on the Earth so we created a way to reuse things that leave a big impact on the environment. We chose water bottles because we believe it effects the Earth g...

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Source: www.earthsfriends.com

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To sustain this free service, we receive affiliate commissions via some of our links. This doesn't affect rankings. Our review process.

There are plenty of facts out there on why recycling is important. The world population is growing, not shrinking, and currently, each human being adds significant waste to the planet over his or her lifetime. In New York alone, people produce enough trash in one day to fill the entire Empire State building.

The frustrating thing is, in most developed countries, it's not that difficult to make a difference. And what a difference we can make. If everyone repurposed their copy of a single edition of The New York Times, we could save 75,000 trees.

What Exactly Is Recycling?

Every day we use a variety of products in our households and workplaces to fulfill our basic needs. Most of these products and their packaging are wasted and dumped in bins, which end up in landfill sites. Consumers place recyclable materials over to your local waste facility by placing it in a designated disposal container. Then it is taken to a recycling facility and/or transported to a location when that material can be reused for a new purpose. A recyclable product is turned back into a raw form that can be used to create a new and different product.

Not only are natural resources limited, but recycling efforts can significantly reduce additional waste that will not only harm the planet today but for future generations as well. The natural resources on our planet earth are limited so we must make the most to conserve, recycle and reuse whenever possible.

Recycling things involves using a product, in part or as a whole, in the production of similar or same products again. In regular production, the use of raw materials is sourced directly from natural resources. For example, fresh pulp from cut down trees is used to create first-generation paper. Recycled paper can be used in producing new paper without vastly compromising the quality of the final product. The same applies to most other materials like metal, glass and plastics.

What Can I Recycle?

What you can recycle depends on your area, not all materials may be recyclable. Check with your local recycling center to find out what you can and cannot recycle. You'll notice that recyclable products are labeled with numbers from 1 to 7, 1 being the most recyclable, and 7 being the least recyclable. Learn more about what recycling codes mean.

Also, check with your city to make sure that you have the correct disposal containers available to ensure your efforts are being put to good use and heading to the recycling center rather than the landfill you are working so hard to avoid!

Ways To Reduce Trash You Create

In general consumption of goods, we ignore the fact that a major portion of our waste can be reduced or reused before resorting to recycling. It would be very responsible of us if we could reduce the consumption of products to the maximum extent possible. So, the three R's of sustainability are Reduce, Reuse... and then Recycle.

Simply cutting down on the amount of non-recyclable materials you throw out is easier than you think. Here are some tips to reduce waste.

1. Bring your own reusable tote bags to purchase groceries. If you forget, insist on paper, and pack as many goods in one bag as possible, without double bagging.

2. Try to reduce the amount of packaging you purchase by buying products in bulk.

3. Switch from mail to paperless statements (bills, financial statements, newsletters, etc.) and have them e-mailed to you instead.

4. Buy products that are packaged in cardboard or paper board instead of Styrofoam.

5. Avoid disposable items such as paper plates, cups, and utensils.

6. When wrapping presents, opt for reusable gift bags instead of wrapping paper - or maybe even reuse wrapping paper.

7. Avoid using plastic wrap and instead opt for beeswax wraps for an eco friendly alternative.

Donate Your Clothing & Home Goods To Charity

1. Most likely your city has many charity shops (like Goodwill and the Salvation Army) that will take your gently used clothes, electronics, furniture and other household items to resell as income for these non-profit organizations. You can even donate your car. These donations help others and are typically a tax deduction for you too.

2. Shop at and sell your clothing on an online thrift store. Simply send in your items to sell them yourself or have them take care of the sale for a higher fee. Your trash just may be someone else's treasure!

3. Composting is the simple step of setting aside your fruit peels and pits along with other select food waste and putting it into a compost pile. This will not only reduce trash and create a much cleaner smelling kitchen but also produce great nutrients for your garden. Read more about Composting Bins

Why Recycling Is Important

There are many good reasons for adding recycling to your routine, ranging from a personal level to a global advantage.

Recycling your waste makes you more conscious in how you use and dispose of goods. Studies show that people who recycle instinctively cut back on buying unnecessary things. They think of how to dispose of the packaging or the product after use before even buying it. As a result, people end up saving a considerable amount of money while also saving the planet.

Individuals, governing bodies and companies can take pride in minimizing their waste as they are helping to reduce global environmental damage and making this earth a better place to live. It is a direct contribution that everyone can make.

Apart from the environmental and emotional benefits, there is an economic impact via employment generated. When you put your waste in different bins for paper, plastics, glass and so on, the contents of each are further segregated and taken to recycling plants. The manpower involved in the logistics and processing of your waste is considerable and thus, you are helping to provide jobs and aid in the welfare of their families. Some will argue that the manpower and steps to recycle are more expensive than trash, but multiple organizations insist that the benefits significantly outweigh the additional resources and costs.

We must also be aware of the emissions that result from the incineration. Sometimes the heat generated is used to generate electrical power (waste to energy plants) to offset the damage and minimize the carbon footprint. Even though this sounds positive, there are concerns about the type of waste being incinerated and if it has any toxic effects on the surrounding areas.

Recycling's Global Impact

What happens to your recycled items after leaving the recycling bin? Plastics, in particular, can be expensive to process or some products are not recyclable due to being contaminated with food or other materials. In these cases, the goods become an internationally-traded commodity that was, until recently, shipped to China for a high price tag.

In 2018, China announced a ban on the import of plastic waste as an initiative to clean up its environment. This left other Asian countries including Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam to become the top importers of plastic scrap. However, the surge in plastic imports in those areas has encouraged unethical practices, and the local government is cracking down and shutting down those facilities. As a result, leaving the scrap to sit in abandoned facilities or stranded at seaports with no destination.

Purchase Products Made From Recycled Materials

You're no doubt aware by now why this is so important. However, the effort involves not only recycling existing products but purchasing products that have already been recycled. Today, thanks to a strong push in the green movement recently, you'll notice more and more products made from recycled materials.

To purchase products made from reused materials, simply look for a recycling symbol and language on the product's packaging. Every day manufacturers are finding new ways to create items that are recyclable including paper towels, cardboard boxes, plastic containers, crayons, ink cartridges, paint, garden supplies such as hoses, furniture, wallpaper, and even garbage cans.

And don't forget the packaging. It is often too big for the product inside and uses non-recycled materials. This is wasteful and should be minimized as well when making a purchase decision. Voting with your wallet is one of the best ways to make an impact while sending a clear message to the companies that make these products as to your desire for more attention to recycle-friendly products.

Recycling Facts

Studies have shown that:

More than 60% of the rubbish that ends up in trash bins can be recycled.

Around 16% of the cost of a product is spent on its packaging, which is completely wasted if not disposed of properly.

Aluminum cans can be recycled entirely and put to use in a short time.

Glass can be recycled 100% and reused.

24 trees are cut down to make one ton of paper.
On the contrary, recycled paper is proved to create 70% less pollution compared to non-recycled material paper production.

Plastics, which can often be recycled, take around 500 years to decompose.

One recycled tin can saves enough energy to power a television for 2 hours.

70% less energy is utilized to recycle paper compared to making it from raw materials.

Similarly, when you recycle one glass bottle, it can save enough energy to power a personal computer for 25 minutes.

Reduce E-Waste Through Electronics Recycling

Due to rapid technological change, obsolescent items have created a fast-growing mass of electronic waste around the globe. E-waste (or waste from electronics) is toxic if disposed of improperly. The chemicals, metals and associated solders, glues and plastics can cause both environmental and health problems.

For this reason, the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive in the European Union makes businesses, manufacturers and retailers of electrical and electronic equipment responsible for making sure their goods do not end up in landfill or incineration. Some new regulations involve dismantling of parts into metals, plastics and individually processing them.

So any working TVs, monitors, computers, cell phones, batteries and other consumer electronics can be sold or donated, thereby prolonging their useful life. Find out how you can turn your old electronics into cash by recycling them. And if they are no longer working, the same companies who will give you money for them should be able to accept them and ensure they are disposed of properly.

We Only Get One Planet

Hopefully, this article has helped you realize just how important your efforts are. Not just for us, but also our kids, grandchildren, and anyone that follows in our footsteps. Take care of your planet, and it will take care of you. When looking for ways to reduce environmental pollution and cut back on energy consumption, recycling is an important step to undertake. A sustainable lifestyle is the need of the times and we can very well adopt such beneficial changes in our daily life.

If you'd like to learn more about this topic, we have plenty of articles about recycling, including freecycling programs and how you can reduce your use of plastic bags.

What are you doing to help reduce your carbon footprint?

Sources: [1] Indiana University. "Waste & Recycling." Web Accessed April 25, 2015, [2] Consumer Reports, [3] GPI.org, [4] WorldAtlas.com, [5] Environment about.com, [6] Environmental Protection Agency, [7] RecyclingBins.co.uk

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Why Is Recycling So Important? | Earth's Friends

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To sustain this free service, we receive affiliate commissions via some of our links. This doesn't affect rankings. Our review process. There are plenty of facts out there on why recycling is important. The world population is growing, not shrinking, and currently, each human being adds significant waste to the planet over his or her lifetime.

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Source:

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Source: HuffPost.com

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This Is Why You Have So Much Trouble Recycling

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If it’s not extremely easy, people won’t do it.

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Source: GreenAmerica.org

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Kamikatsu, Japan, a small mountain town of 1,700 on southern Japan's Shikoku island, is going zero waste by 2020.

So are a lot of communities in the US. But when local political leaders make this pledge, they sometimes state their city will send "zero waste to landfill" - a phrase meaning that in addition to recycling and perhaps composting trash, the city will still incinerate some of its garbage. Incineration causes air pollution and, ironically, leaves toxic ash behind that must be landfilled.

In Kamikatsu, they mean it: zero waste, no incineration by 2020. Already, the town recycles 80 percent of its trash through a significant commitment and communal effort.

Prior to 2003, this small community used to dispose of its trash through open incineration, according to a short documentary from Discovery Network's "Seeker Stories." But burning their trash made residents sick and and the town smell, so in 2003, they adopted the zero-waste plan.

Today, Kamikatsu residents separate recyclables into 34 categories: various types of paper products; tin, steel, aluminum, and other types of containers; plastic bottles; plastic caps; and more.

The townspeople wash each container at home to ensure it's free from food or liquid residue that can contaminate the recycling process. Then they haul it to the town recycling center, where employees make sure they are sorting items the right way. There's no municipal trash pickup.

"Classifying the recycling can be difficult," resident Hatsue Katayama told Seeker Stories. "To wash the containers thoroughly so there are no remains is hard work. It can be a pain, and at first, we were opposed to the idea."

However, residents soon got used to the benefits of recycling: cleaner air, for one. And more jobs - in addition to the recycling center, the town boasts a factory that turns discarded clothing and more into new items. There's also a free store, where residents can leave and take still-usable cast-off items for free.

Compared to incinerating Kamikatsu's trash, the recycling effort has cut waste-management costs by a third. Katayama says that recycling has now become second nature: "Now I don't think about it. It becomes natural to separate the trash correctly."

The only difference I see [between high-recycling communities and low-recycling communities] is that the cities moving toward 90 percent have a very active grassroots network that consistently pushes for increased recycling and, in recent years, zero waste.

Dr. Neil Seldman, Institute for Local Self-Reliance

While few cities around the world have made the commitment to recycling and zero waste that Kamikatsu has, more are stepping up to lessen their burdens on landfills, recycle more, and recycle better. The US, quite simply, is lagging behind. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 75 percent of the US waste stream can be recycled or composted, but we're only doing so for just over 34 percent of it.

In comparison, the entire country of South Korea's waste diversion rate is moving closer to Kamikatsu's. After enacting legislation to get to zero waste by 2020, South Korea started having residents pay for trash by weight, in addition to making composting food waste mandatory by law - which has raised the country's recycling and composting rate to over 83 percent and climbing, according to the Korea Herald.

Germany and Austria are recycling or composting 62 and 63 percent of their waste, respectively, states the European Environment Agency. And the European Union aims to lift all member-countries' recycling/composting rates from an average of 43 percent to 50 percent by 2020.

The success of these places shows that Americans can raise our recycling rates. But it will take a combination of government policy, corporate responsibility, community will, and individual effort.

Fortunately, green-minded individuals have the power to push US recycling to the next level, says Dr. Neil Seldman. Seldman is director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance's (ILSR) Waste-to- Wealth Initiative, which helps communities across the US create policies and practices to get to zero waste.

San Francisco's "Fantastic Three" recycling program gives residents three colored bins to make sorting trash, recyclables, and organic waste easier. Photo courtesy of SF Environment

Activists Lead The Way

While many US cities are struggling at or below the 34 percent national recycling average, Seldman says there are dozens of cities with "high, unprecedented" recycling rates, including Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, and smaller cities on the East Coast and in the Midwest. So what accounts for the discrepancy?

"The only difference I see is that the cities moving toward 90 percent have a very active grassroots network that consistently pushes for increased recycling and, in recent years, for zero waste," says Seldman.

These cities are showing that diverting 50 to 80 percent or more from landfills to recyclers and municipal composters is doable - using existing technology. Seldman notes that for most, their robust recycling programs started with citizens fighting off an incinerator.

Los Angeles, for example, originally balked at instituting recycling back in the 1960s. But when regional landfills became overcrowded, the city entertained a proposal to build five incinerators - all located within communities of color, an all-too-familiar pattern in the US when it comes to toxic facilities .

Environmentalism has to be broadened to incorporate organizations and groups that may not necessarily have "environment" in their name.

Dr. Robert Bullard

Residents started forming coalitions to work against the incinerator plan, troubled by the potential for toxic air pollution and carcinogenic bottom ash. They brought in ILSR as a technical consultant to help fight the incinerators and formulate a sustainable alternative plan. Los Angeles eventually said no to the incinerators and yes to recycling - it now recycles or composts 76 percent of its waste - mainly because many of the grassroots activists involved in the incinerator fight got involved in local politics.

In fact, says Seldman, the phenomenon of activists-turned-city-leaders is another thing most US cities with high recycling rates have in common.

"Garbage decisions are made at the local level, where citizens can organize and take control," Seldman says. "And that's exactly what they did. People actually became mayors and county commissioners as a result of their resistance to an incinerator."

Recycle Across America claims it standardized recycling labels improve recycling rates 50 to 100 percent and dramatically reduce recycling contamination. Photo courtesy of Recycle Across America

SF Sets an Example

Once a city decides to go zero waste, the next thing that needs to happen is a series of public-policy and education decisions to ramp up recycling and ramp down incinerators and landfill use.

"To get to zero waste, you must have four things: First, mandatory recycling," says Seldman. "People need to know it's the law and become educated to be recycling-literate. You also have to have municipal composting and a pay-as-youthrow program, where you pay for your garbage based on how much you throw out. And the other thing you need is a reuse program."

San Francisco boasts an 80 percent recycling and composting rate - the highest in the country - and aims to get to zero waste by 2020. To achieve its ongoing success, the city has embraced all of these policies and more.

In 2009, San Francisco passed an ordinance making recycling and composting mandatory by law for businesses and residences. With the help of Recology, a West Coast waste hauler committed to waste reduction, San Francisco implemented its "Fantastic Three" three-bin system to help residents easily sort their trash. Recyclables go into a blue bin, organic waste goes into a green bin, and anything destined for the landfill gets put in a black bin.

The system operates on the pay-as-you- throw model that Seldman asserts is the key to zero-waste success.

"The more material you send [to the landfill in the black bin], the more expensive your garbage bill is. The more material you send to the organic bin, the more your bill goes down," says Guillermo Rodriguez of the San Francisco Department of the Environment (SF Environment).

He notes that while the pay-as-you throw plan does influence residents, it sends a particularly powerful price signal to larger entities: "If you're the property manager for a 100-unit building, that's huge savings." The city has adopted other initiatives to further drive local behavior toward zero waste. It passed a ban on polystyrene food-service products, since polystyrene is not as easily recyclable as other plastics. And it enacted a city-wide single-use plastic bag ban, as well as a ban on bottled water sales on public property.

Americans can raise our recycling rates, but it will take a combination of government policy, corporate responsibility, community will, and individual effort.

San Francisco also has a robust community education program to help people separate their trash correctly. It has conducted public-education campaigns, and it has an easy-to-use online database with Recology to help residents find out which bin different types of trash go into.

The city even offers free trash audits at businesses and homes.

"Our auditors will [examine the bins] and provide owners with a report card to show where they can make improvements," says Rodriguez.

For example, auditors helped US Postal Service outlets in the Bay Area cut down their garbage bill costs. Because the Post Office is run by the federal government, it doesn't have to follow city waste-management rules - although it does have to pay the city to haul its trash. Auditors pointed out that simply by implementing the three-bin system at each location, the agency could save big. Area Postmasters and mail-center managers did just that - and shaved $200,000 off the agency's annual trash bill.

Now that San Franciscans have embraced the three-bin system and gotten their recycling and composting up to 80 percent, SF Environment is working on ways to capture that last 20 percent.

"Nearly half of the material in the black bin can still be separated out," says Rodriguez. "Most San Franciscans know exactly what to do with food scraps when preparing a meal. But that takeout food container or bag of salad that you have sitting in crisper that is now a weird science experiment? That's what we're seeing end up in landfill. So our latest campaign aims to convince San Franciscans to 'free their food.'"

In addition, he says, the city is working with manufacturers to take responsibility for their packaging.

"Municipalities shouldn't have to take responsibility for some things," he says. "Juice boxes, for example. Outside, they're made of cardboard, but inside, they're lined with mylar. So you have to open up the box and peel off the mylar [to make them recyclable]. No one is going to do that! We need manufacturers to take responsibility for these complex end-of-life problems."

Also with the goal of keeping that last 20 percent of the city's trash out of landfills, San Francisco has a reuse program. First, when Recology employees spot anything coming through that still may be usable, they pull it out for donation.

The city government itself also runs an online database where government employees can post used furniture, office supplies, and other equipment in good condition. Schools, nonprofits, and other city departments can request items they can use. Since 2004, this "Virtual Warehouse" has redistributed over 900 tons of goods worth more than $6 million.

Is Recycling Doomed?

Even as cities like Los Angeles, Portland, and San Francisco make big investments in recycling, headlines have been dominating the news that the recycling industry is "collapsing" in the US.

Recycling is tied to commodity prices, which tend to fluctuate. Currently low oil prices mean it's cheaper right now to manufacture new plastic than recycle used plastic, for example. And China - which purchased $10.8 million of our scrap metal and paper in 2011 and about $5 million of our cast-off plastic in 2014 for recycling - has started rejecting shipments of US recyclables in recent years.

Basically, the system once worked like this: China exported manufactured goods to the US. The US would fill Chinese shipping containers with recyclables, some of it packaging from those Chinese goods, before returning them. Then, China would recycle those materials and turn them into new products. As a result, US domestic recycling isn't as robust as it could be, since we rely so much on China.

However, in 2013, China implemented Operation Green Fence, because the materials the US was sending back were too dirty to recycle cost-effectively. The new policy had China refusing contaminated shipments of recyclables - after US companies had already paid to send them to Chinese ports.

[Since China and other major buyers of US recyclables no longer want dirty materials], US recyclers are now extra cautious about what they [send out for recycling]. When they receive dirty materials, they're more likely to just landfill or incinerate them.

According to Waste360.com, China turned away 22,000 shipping containers filled with US recyclables during the first year of the new policy due to contamination.

As a result, US recyclers are now extra cautious about what they ship to China. When they receive dirty materials, they're more likely to just landfill or incinerate them, says Seldman.

Recycling contamination issues cause other problems, as well. Aimee Lee from the nonprofit Recycle Across America (RAA) says a lot of contamination problems could be headed off with proper sorting.

"[Better sorting] would save the billions of dollars currently spent to remove contaminants contaminants from the recycling stream," says Lee. "There would be fewer plastic bags and other contaminants jamming the processing equipment. There would be significantly less wasted time and money spent while equipment is shut down for repairs, and far fewer injuries to employees at recycling plants. If we eliminate confusion at the bin, these costly inefficiencies would be remedied, and the demand for the materials would be strong. Recycling profit margins would be so far improved that they would then be able to weather any occasional fluctuations in virgin commodity pricing."

Municipal education programs like San Francisco's can help keep the wrong items out of the recycling stream. And RAA is advocating for a nationwide labeling system to provide uniform, easily recognizable labels on recycling, compost, and trash bins to minimize confusion about sorting. Lee notes that "standardized labels improve recycling rates 50-100 percent, while dramatically reducing contamination."

ILSR's Seldman says that using waste haulers committed to recycling right can help the industry turn more of a profit as well. Sixty percent of the country's waste hauling is handled by two companies: Allied and Waste Management - and both, he says, have a vested interest in keeping recycling rates low and landfill and incineration rates high.

"They control billions of dollars in recyclable materials, but they say they can't make a profit. It's because they don't want to," he asserts. "They make an 80 percent return on putting things in landfills and incinerators."

Other companies are passionate about landfilling and incineration. We are passionate about recycling and composting. If you're really passionate about it, you can make it work. --Robert Reed, Recology

Recycling can't compete, since the waste haulers have to share profits with the companies that recycle the materials, so "naturally they want to downgrade recycling and increase disposal," says Seldman.

Even though Recology - which manages waste for San Francisco and 112 other communities on the West Coast - does take some waste to landfill, this independent, employee-owned company specializes in recycling and composting.

"We have a different business model: Our model is recycling, composting, helping communities we serve make progress toward zero waste," says Recology spokesperson Robert Reed. "Other companies are passionate about landfilling and incineration. We're passionate about recycling and composting. If you're really passionate about it, you can make it work."

So if you don't want your recyclables to end up in a landfill, and your waste is picked up by a hauler that doesn't prioritize recycling, it's up to individuals and businesses to fend off contamination to ensure that as many recyclables make it to actual recyclers as possible.

Even better, says Porter, also help your community take control of its garbage: "Bypass the trash behemoths and find local haulers that will work with your community to get to zero waste."

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Americans are bad at recycling. Here's How the World Does It Better

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Kamikatsu, Japan, a small mountain town of 1,700 on southern Japan's Shikoku island, is going zero waste by 2020. So are a lot of communities in the US. But when local political leaders make this pledge, they sometimes state their city will send "zero waste to landfill" - a phrase meaning that in addition to recycling and perhaps composting trash, the city will still incinerate some of its garbage.

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Source: RecycleHawaii.org

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Source: Kokua Hawai'i Foundation

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New Recycling Program for all Oʻahu Schools!

Beginning October 1, all school recycling and trash hauling for all Oʻahu Department of Education (DOE) schools will be handled by West Oʻahu Aggregate. Schools are asked to follow these guidelines to maximize proper recycling and to avoid extra fees:

Deposit all recyclable items into the recycling bin.

Collapse/flatten all cardboard boxes before placing into the recycling bin to save space.

Avoid contamination: Do not deposit non-recyclable items into the recycling bin.

Contamination increases fees and can lead to the whole bin being considered "trash"

Recycling and trash bins are only for the school. Lock (use contractor's lock) bins to prevent use by outsiders and potential contamination.

Do not deposit recyclable items into the regular trash bin. If trash bin is full, put extra bags (overage) of trash on the side of the trash bin. Truck driver will pick up all extra bags after unloading/emptying the container into the truck. DO NOT deposit extra bags of regular trash into the recycling bin.

Recyclables shall consist of the following mixed materials:
Please recycle only the below materials. Contamination increases fees and can lead to the whole bin being considered "trash".

Plastics (non-HI5) with resin codes #1 (PETE) or #2 (HDPE) - Remove lids/caps. Plastics #1 & #2 are recyclable. They are commonly found on soft drink bottles & other beverages, cooking oil bottles, peanut butter jars, detergent bottles, shampoo, vitamin, milk jugs, etc.

Glass bottles and jars - Remove and discard lids and tops; okay to leave labels on.

Newspapers - No magazine and glossy inserts.

Corrugated cardboard boxes - Corrugated only. No single layer chipboard such as cereal boxes, detergent boxes, tissue boxes, etc.

White and colored office paper - Bond paper only and paper bags.

Aluminum and tinned ferrous cans - Rinse, okay to crush.

Please e-mail [email protected] with any questions.

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New Recycling Program for all Oʻahu Schools!

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Beginning October 1, all school recycling and trash hauling for all Oʻahu Department of Education (DOE) schools will be handled by West Oʻahu Aggregate. Schools are asked to follow these guidelines to maximize proper recycling and to avoid extra fees: Deposit all recyclable items into the recycling bin.

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Source: Star Advertiser

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Oregon is serious about recycling. Its residents are accustomed to dutifully separating milk cartons, yogurt containers, cereal boxes and kombucha bottles from their trash to divert them from the landfill. But this year, because of a far-reaching rule change in China, some of the recyclables are ending up in the local dump anyway.

In recent months, in fact, thousands of tons of material left curbside for recycling in dozens of U.S. cities and towns - including several in Oregon - have gone to landfills.

In the past, the municipalities would have shipped much of their used paper, plastics and other scrap materials to China for processing. But as part of a broad antipollution campaign, China announced last summer that it no longer wanted to import "foreign garbage." Since Jan. 1 it has banned imports of various types of plastic and paper, and tightened standards for materials it does accept.

While some waste managers already send their recyclable materials to be processed domestically, or are shipping more to other countries, others have been unable to find a substitute for the Chinese market. "All of a sudden, material being collected on the street doesn't have a place to go," said Pete Keller, vice president of recycling and sustainability at Republic Services, one of the largest waste managers in the country.

China's stricter requirements also mean that loads of recycling are more likely to be considered contaminated if they contain materials that are not recyclable. That has compounded a problem that waste managers call wishful or aspirational recycling: people setting aside items for recycling because they believe or hope they are recyclable, even when they are not.

In the Pacific Northwest, Republic has diverted more than 2,000 tons of paper to landfills since the Chinese ban came into effect, Keller said. The company has been unable to move that material to a market "at any price or cost," he said. Though Republic is dumping only a small portion of its total inventory so far - the company handles more than 5 million tons of recyclables nationwide each year - it sent little to no paper to landfills last year.

But for smaller companies, like Rogue Disposal and Recycling, which serves much of Oregon, the Chinese ban has upended operations. Rogue sent all its recycling to landfills for the first few months of the year, said Garry Penning, a spokesman.

Western states, which have relied the most on Chinese recycling plants, have been hit especially hard. In some areas - like Eugene, Oregon, and parts of Idaho, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii - local officials and garbage haulers will no longer accept certain items for recycling, in some cases refusing most plastics, glass and certain types of paper. Instead, they say, customers should throw these items in the trash.

Theresa Byrne, who lives in Salem, Oregon, said the city took too long to inform residents that most plastics and egg and milk cartons were now considered garbage. "I was angry," she said. "I believe in recycling."

Other communities, like Grants Pass, Oregon, home to about 37,000 people, are continuing to encourage their residents to recycle as usual, but the materials are winding up in landfills anyway. Local waste managers said they were concerned that if they told residents to stop recycling, it could be hard to get them to start again.

It is "difficult with the public to turn the spigot on and off," said Brian Fuller, a waste manager with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

The fallout has spread beyond the West Coast. Ben Harvey, president of E.L. Harvey & Sons, a recycling company based in Westborough, Massachusetts, said that he had about 6,000 tons of paper and cardboard piling up, when he would normally have a couple hundred tons stockpiled. The bales are filling almost half of his 80,000-square-foot facility.

"It's really impacted our day-to-day operations," Harvey said. "It's stifling me."

Recyclers in Canada, Australia, Britain, Germany and other parts of Europe have also scrambled to find alternatives.

Still, across much of the United States, including most major cities, recycling is continuing as usual. Countries like India, Vietnam and Indonesia are importing more of the materials that are not processed domestically. And some waste companies have responded to China's ban by stockpiling material while looking for new processors, or hoping that China reconsiders its policy.

Americans recycle roughly 66 million tons of material each year, according to the most recent figures from the Environmental Protection Agency, about one-third of which is exported. The majority of those exports once went to China, said David Biderman, executive director of the Solid Waste Association of North America, a research and advocacy group.

But U.S. scrap exports to China fell by about 35 percent in the first two months of this year, after the ban was implemented, said Joseph Pickard, chief economist for the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, a trade group.

"It's a huge concern, because China has just been such a dominant overseas market for us," Pickard said.

In particular, exports of scrap plastic to China, valued at more than $300 million in 2015, totaled just $7.6 million in the first quarter of this year, down 90 percent from a year earlier, Pickard said. Other countries have stepped in to accept more plastics, but total scrap plastic exports are still down by 40 percent this year, he said.

"There is a significant disruption occurring to U.S. recycling programs," said Biderman. "The concern is if this is the new normal."

(STORY CAN END HERE. OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS.)

Curbside recycling is typically hauled by a private company to a sorting plant, where marketable goods are separated out. Companies or local governments then sell the goods to domestic or overseas processors. Some states and cities prohibit these companies from dumping plastic, paper and cardboard, but some local officials - including in Oregon, Massachusetts and various municipalities in Washington state - have granted waivers so that unmarketable materials can be sent to the landfill.

Recycling companies "used to get paid" by selling off recyclable materials, said Peter Spendelow, a policy analyst for the Department of Environmental Quality in Oregon. "Now they're paying to have someone take it away."

In some places, including parts of Idaho, Maine and Pennsylvania, waste managers are continuing to recycle but are passing higher costs on to customers, or are considering doing so.

"There are some states and some markets where mixed paper is at a negative value," said Brent Bell, vice president of recycling at Waste Management, which handles 10 million tons of recycling per year. "We'll let our customers make that decision, if they'd like to pay more and continue to recycle or to pay less and have it go to landfill."

Spendelow said companies in rural areas, which tend to have higher expenses to get their materials to market, were being hit particularly hard. "They're literally taking trucks straight to the landfill," he said.

Will Posegate, chief operations officer for Garten Services, which processes recycling for a number of counties in Oregon, said his company had tried to stockpile recyclables but eventually used a waiver to dump roughly 900 tons. "The warehouse builds up so much that it's unsafe," he said.

In California, officials are concerned that improperly stored bales of paper could become hazards during wildfire season, said Zoe Heller, policy director for the state's recycling department.

While China has entirely banned 24 materials, including post-consumer plastic and mixed paper, it has also demanded that other materials, such as cardboard and scrap metal, be only 0.5 percent impure. Even a small amount of food scraps or other rubbish, if undetected, can ruin a batch of recycling.

Some waste managers say China's new contamination standards are impossible to meet, while others are trying to clean up their recycling streams by slowing down their processing facilities, limiting the types of materials they accept or trying to better educate customers on what belongs in the recycling bin.

Bell, the Waste Management executive, said he had seen everything from Christmas lights to animal carcasses to artillery shells come through the company's recycling facilities. "Most of our facilities get a bowling ball every day or two," he said.

Some materials can ruin a load, he said, while others pose fire or health hazards and can force facilities to slow their operations and in some cases temporarily shut down. (And a bowling ball could do serious damage to the equipment.) Approximately 25 percent of all recycling picked up by Waste Management is contaminated to the point that it is sent to landfills, Bell said.

Recyclers have always disposed of some of their materials. But the percentage has climbed as China and other buyers of recyclable material have ratcheted up quality standards.

Most contamination, Bell said, happens when people try to recycle materials they shouldn't. Disposable coffee cups - which are usually lined with a thin film that makes them liquid-proof but challenging and expensive to reprocess - are an example. Unwashed plastics can also cause contamination.

"If we don't get it clean, we're not going to be able to market it, and if we can't market it, unfortunately it's going to go to the landfill," said Penning, the Rogue spokesman. In March, Rogue told customers to put everything in the trash except for corrugated cardboard, milk jugs, newspapers and tin and aluminum cans, which the company is finding domestic markets for, Penning said.

Rogue customers who make mistakes might see an "Oops" sticker the next time they check their recycling bin, he said.

In Eugene, similar restrictions have been imposed by the waste company Sanipac. These have not sat well with some residents. "Eugene is a very green city and people love their recycling here," said Diane Peterson, a resident. "There are a lot of things like yogurt containers that we get all the time, and now we can't recycle them."

Leah Geocaris, another Eugene resident, said the change had prompted her to try to consume less overall. "On the one hand, I hate it, because I don't want stuff to end up in landfill," she said. "On the other hand, it's a wake-up call."

"Recycling is the third R," she said. "You have to reduce and reuse first."

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Oregon is serious about recycling. Its residents are accustomed to dutifully separating milk cartons, yogurt containers, cereal boxes and kombucha bottles from their trash to divert them from the landfill. But this year, because of a far-reaching rule change in China, some of the recyclables are ending up in the local dump anyway.

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Source: Honolulu Magazine

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Honolulu should be recycling even less than it does now.

(page 1 of 3)

In 2013, O'ahu recycled 171,000 tons of ferrous metal, and 14,000 tons of nonferrous metal (including aluminum cans).

Photos: Aaron Yoshino

If you look at the amount of trash the City and County of Honolulu recycles, it seems we could do a lot better: only 38.6 percent in 2013, the most recent year for which data is available. We lag way behind San Francisco, which claims a recycling rate of 80 percent, Los Angeles is at 76 percent, San Diego at 65 percent and Seattle at 60 percent. Even gritty Chicago recycles 58 percent of its trash. Sounds like we've got some catching up to do, right?

But wait, more local experts, including the director of Honolulu's Department of Environmental Services, are starting to argue the opposite: that Honolulu should be recycling even less than it does now.

What? Recycling everything you can possibly recycle is good ... isn't it? We dived into Honolulu's municipal solid-waste disposal system to find out how technology is changing the way we think about the environmental impact-and the economics-of trash.

The Status Quo

The clawwwww! This trash, piled up at H-POWER, is destined to be burned and converted to electricity.

Here's our current residential trash system, in a nutshell. If you live in a house on O'ahu, you most likely are among the 160,000 households who put your gray, green and blue bins out by the curb. (The vast majority of high-rises pay for private pickup, and some residents in older neighborhoods-about 20,000-still have crews tossing trash into the backs of trucks by hand.)

The green bin, for green waste-yard trimmings, grass clippings and Christmas trees-has a local story. About 100,000 tons a year of green waste gets trucked to Hawaiian Earth Products, in the shadow of the Wai'anae Mountains. There, it becomes a dark, rich compost that contrasts vividly with the region's famous red dirt. Three or four months later, the compost re-enters the market sold by the bag or truck bed, where it contributes to the healthy growth of next month's garden.

The blue bin is the world traveler. Recyclables-including metal cans, glass and plastic bottles, corrugated cardboard and office paper-head first to RRR Recycling Services, holder of the city's recycling contract, where they are laboriously sorted (there's a guy whose job it is to empty out those plastic bottles you left half-full, people, so please empty them yourself!) and then baled or dropped into a shipping container for reprocessing. Since we have no recycling facilities in-state, the contents of your blue bin have to cross an ocean to get remade. Glass gets shipped to private companies in California, says RRR's owner, Dominic Henriques. Aluminum goes to Alabama; lower-value recyclables, such as plastic, cardboard and paper, take the slow boat to China.

The gray bin gets all the leftovers: the nonhazardous, nonbulky waste that can't be processed with the green or blue bins, including caps from bottles, cereal boxes, your kid's headless doll, broken wire hangers, empty ballpoint pens. If you've dismissed that gray bin as the boring, conventional, wasteful kind of garbage, it might be time to take another look. What happens to waste in our gray bins tells us a big part of why we lag behind other American cities in recycling, why we could lag still further ... and why that could be a good thing, both for the environment and for the city's coffers, which helps us taxpayers.

In most places in the land-rich Other 49, that gray bin would go straight to a landfill. On O'ahu, though, it goes to H-POWER, the county's waste-to-energy plant in Kapolei, which has been operated by Covanta since 1990. H-POWER is a power plant that runs on trash; it burns the contents of the gray bin, heating steam to power a turbine that produces about 8 percent of O'ahu's electricity. At the same time, it reduces the volume of trash sent to a landfill by about 90 percent (the ash that's left over after burning still goes to the landfill). In 2013, H-POWER incinerated 498,000 tons of trash, or 40.3 percent of our total municipal solid waste. Covanta's Ahmad Sadri estimates that, for every ton of trash burned, a barrel of oil, plus the fossil fuel used to ship it here, is saved. In 2013, that would have been 498,000 barrels of oil we avoided shipping here.

"Trash is treasure," says Panos Prevedouros, chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UH Mānoa and a former mayoral candidate. "Not only do you make energy, you remove something that is bad." Prevedouros adds that a waste-to-energy plant can make "serious money" charging tipping fees, selling its electricity to the utility and harvesting the valuable metals for what he calls "a win-win-win" situation: The plant helps the state meet its renewable energy goals, it keeps trash out of landfills and Covanta has revenue streams that gross about $125 million per year. Not too shabby for stuff we all throw away.

The plant can burn just about anything (except glass and metals), but there are conflicting regulations that govern what is currently being burned. A key restriction is that no more than 10 percent of all H-POWER materials processed can be green waste.

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Should Honolulu's Recycling Program Go Up in Flames?

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(page 1 of 3) In 2013, O'ahu recycled 171,000 tons of ferrous metal, and 14,000 tons of nonferrous metal (including aluminum cans). Photos: Aaron Yoshino If you look at the amount of trash the City and County of Honolulu recycles, it seems we could do a lot better: only 38.6 percent in 2013, the most recent year for which data is available.

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Source: Opala.org

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What to Recycle / How to Dispose of... :: City & County of Honolulu, Department of Environmental Services

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SORT IT OUT - bulky items Bulky items go out for monthly bulky item collection or to convenience centers or transfer stations and are then brought to H-POWER. Metal appliances are recycled. The 2012 expansion to H-POWER provided additional capacity to process the combustible furniture, mattresses and carpet.

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Source:Hawaii Business Magazine

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A City & County of Honolulu leader wants to recycle less because she says it doesn't make sense economically or environmentally. Environmentalists say "refusing" and "reusing" are much better than recycling. Here's what you should know.

Recycling is changing on Oahu and around the world, and RRR Recycling has to be flexible to cope with those changes.

RRR and many other U.S. companies couldn't sell their recyclables to China earlier this year after officials there closed the border to yang lese, or foreign trash. Mountains of bales of cardboard and paper, protected from the elements by plastic sheets, piled up at RRR's Campbell Industrial Park site as owner Dominic Henriques struggled to find buyers. Months went by and RRR finally moved the items at a loss. Henriques says he has found new markets for the recyclables and the backlog has not recurred, but it was a difficult period for the company.

"You don't prepare for countries shutting down their doors. We move our material regularly but that was a super special case," Henriques says.

RRR Recycling has been contracted by the city and county of Honolulu to process everything collected in residents' blue bins since the city's recycling initiative began in 2007. Roughly 160,000 blue bins are picked up every other week; RRR Recycling processed about 24,000 tons of material from those bins last year.

"Triple R takes the material commingled, mixed waste, in the blue cart," says Michael O'Keefe, recycling branch chief at the city's Department of Environmental Services' Refuse Division. "All of the material we deliver: the cardboard, white and colored printer paper, newspaper, No. 1 and No. 2 plastics." Other recyclable items that belong in the blue bin are glass bottles and jars, which Henriques has been able to find buyers for in California. HI-5 bottles and cans are generally high-quality materials that are easily moved out of state.

China began in 2013 to be more selective about what it would accept from other countries for recycling. Then on Jan. 1, 2018, a Chinese crackdown included a ban on the import of 24 types of recyclable material, including several types of postconsumer plastic scrap and unsorted paper. China also enforced a limit of 0.05 percent contamination for most recyclables entering the country, as opposed to the previous limit of 5 percent. Henriques says the lower limit is unrealistic and basically requires virgin material. He says one local example of virgin material is the Honolulu Star-Advertiser's off-print newspapers that never reach circulation and are transported directly to RRR's facility, but such virgin material is rare in the recycling business.

RRR has worked to meet China's new requirements by slowing processing and separation of materials at the facility, increasing shifts and hiring more workers. Henriques is still able to sell some material to China but admits it is much more difficult and his broker has found different markets in Thailand and South Korea to compensate.

"There's more expense to it now than there was previously and less value to it because of China," Henriques says. "If we can get to that point where China is accepting it then hopefully we can find that value again."

Scott Montoya, assistant manager of Island Recycling Inc., believes China's recent actions are retaliation for President Donald Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods. Montoya says former co-workers, who now work in the recycling industry in Washington state and surrounding areas, tell him that Canada and other countries have no problem getting their material into China. Henriques agrees.

"I understand that the markets have changed and that there is fluctuation," Henriques says. "Recycling is the right thing to do. There's a lot of benefits to it and that's the direction that we want to focus. There are still markets for it. China's the one that has caused all the problems." People in America's recycling industry hope China will ease restrictions as it has after previous clampdowns.

The recyclable material delivered toRRR by the city is recycled and cannot be burned at H-Power or sent to the landfill. But Lori Kahikina, director of the Department of Environmental Services, would like to change that.

"It doesn't make economic and environmental sense to recycle on Oahu," Kahikina says. "We did have a consultant do a study for us. If you just look at Oahu, at that one piece of paper or that one plastic bottle, it does not make sense for us to recycle. We're shipping it to the Mainland or China, using fossil fuels to do that.

"But if you look at it globally, it makes sense because you're not chopping down another tree or digging up resources in the ground to create that new bottle. If you just look at Oahu, we have an H-Power facility that can (create) renewable energy, and make a profit with HECO in our power purchase agreement."

The study she describes is an October 2017 audit of the city's recycling program. It found that the city could have saved $7 million a year on solid waste disposal costs by burning recyclables at H-Power, and generated $29.5 million in additional revenue by selling more electricity to HECO. H-Power currently earns the city an estimated $127 million a year selling power to HECO.

The city is exploring ways to send more recyclables to H-Power, though Kahikina stresses the city isn't planning to send all recyclables there. She says the city just wants some flexibility to relieve pressure in difficult times, but would not be more specific.

One plan is to reduce blue bin pickup to once a month before the year is over. The city says only half of the blue bins picked up have material in them and those are only about half full on average. Once a month pickup will save the city money, but it also means that if your blue bin is full and pickup is days or weeks away, you will have to put any additional recyclables into the gray bin to be burned at H-Power.

Environmentalists oppose H-Power because of its toxic emissions and the residual ash produced by incineration. The city says the fumes from H-Power are safe by EPA standards but not everyone is convinced. "Who sets EPA standards?" asks Kahi Pacarro, executive director of Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii. "Corporations set the EPA standards through influence on political contributions, etc."

The federal EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program has an online tool that shows the emissions for major polluters. The EPA tool shows that based on megawatts of electricity generated, Hawaii's dirtiest energy producers are, in order, the AES Hawaii power plant, which burns coal to generate electricity, H-Power and HECO's oil-burning Kahe power plant. H-Power produces 12 percent fewer emissions per megawatt produced than AES; Kahe produces about 14 percent fewer emissions per megawatt produced than H-Power.

Both environmentalists and the city support source reduction - using less and reusing more and thereby throwing away fewer things. That's the thinking behind the city's plastic bag ban that began in 2015 and was refined this year. Both groups also support businesses like Re-use Hawaii, which salvages material from demolition projects and makes it available for the public to use again in construction projects.

Pacarro has other ideas for source reduction. "We're all stuck in this lifestyle of consumption or throwaway culture where it's easier to throw it away than it is to do some dishes or go without," Pacarro says. "Do you really need a straw in your drink right now? You don't."

Pacarro believes that the three R's of recycling - reduce, reuse and recycle - should be: refuse, reduce and recycle. He explains that recycle is the third R on purpose because it's the last-ditch effort to reduce environmental impact. Refusing to use unneeded or wasteful products would put an end to all single-use plastics, like the millions of bottle caps that litter our land, beaches and oceans. Reducing our consumption is necessary to avoid having more plastic in the sea. The World Economic Forum reports that by 2050 there will be more plastic by weight than fish in the world's oceans.

Single-use or disposable plastics are the biggest contributor to Earth's plastic buildup because they account for about half of the plastics the world produces. They are plastics used once then thrown away, like straws, plastic utensils and water bottles. The small size of the straws makes them difficult to be recycled, so they end up in our landfills or ocean. Once there, these lightweight materials slowly break down into smaller and smaller pieces but never disappear. Eventually they become microplastics and might be eaten by fish or turn up in ocean salt.

Senate Bill 2285 would have prohibited the distribution, sale and providing of plastic straws in Hawaii. It failed to pass the Senate Judiciary and Ways and Means committees. Sen. Karl Rhoads, who introduced the bill, says that "even good bills often take years to get passed. We have a pretty good shot at passing a straw bill in the next few years. I don't know why Chair Taniguchi didn't support it." Hawaii Business reached out to Sen. Brian Taniguchi, chair of the Judiciary Committee, multiple times by phone and email for comment but received no response.

Some U.S. cities, including Seattle and San Luis Obispo, California, have banned plastic straws, and some local venues, such as Sky Waikiki and Top of Waikiki, no longer use them.

Bills to ban polystyrene in food service passed in Maui and Hawaii counties in 2017 but failed on Oahu. The Hawaii Food Industry Association has said it would be prohibitively expensive for small businesses to stop using polystyrene containers and that hot and saucy plate lunches would not hold with alternate materials.

Doorae Shin, program manager of Plastic Free Hawaii, rejects those assertions and says businesses that cannot afford a few extra cents per plate lunch to use biodegradable plates or utensils should rethink their business models.

Over 200 restaurants in Hawaii have pledged to be "Ocean Friendly Restaurants" by reducing their use of single-use plastics, according to the Surfrider Foundation. The campaign encourages food businesses to voluntarily give up offering foam containers, plastic utensils and straws to customers.

One interesting proposal would use the fly ash generated at H-Power in construction materials. The ash, which contains toxic materials, is currently dumped in the Waimanalo Gulch landfill; the city says a company has suggested using the ash but has not yet submitted a proposal.

Panos Prevedouros, chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UH Mānoa and a former candidate for Honolulu mayor, says the ash can be used as a base in road construction.

Prevedouros also has thoughts on what should and shouldn't go into blue recycling bins. He opposes recycling paper on Oahu "because paper is like a form of wood; burn it at H-Power. Why are we wasting desolate resources at all to recycle while we can burn it and fully recycle it like wood and make energy for our people and ash for our roads."

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The Future of Recycling in Hawaii - Hawaii Business Magazine

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A City & County of Honolulu leader wants to recycle less because she says it doesn't make sense economically or environmentally. Environmentalists say "refusing" and "reusing" are much better than recycling. Here's what you should know. Recycling is changing on Oahu and around the world, and RRR Recycling has to be flexible to cope with those changes.