Waste Away Group Blog

When deciding how to dispose of things into the trash or as recycling, we usually turn things over and all around to find the triangle with a number inside of it denoting a recyclable item. But does everything that is recyclable have the number in a triangle? I used to think so.  Which probably means that many more people probably think so too.

Generally, we shop around for bargains on services just as we do products that we purchase.  It’s sometimes amazing to me that a couple dollars a month will make us switch service providers in most cases. Of course, if the service is a physician or a mechanic, a couple dollars...or even $10 or $20 for the same service may not make us switch.  Many of us are very loyal to some types of service providers.

If you’ve ever opened a brand new bag of potato chips only to find the bag half, or even a third full, you are not alone.  This disappointing phenomenon is called over-packaging and greatly adds to our landfill problems in the United States. Potato chips aren’t the only culprit.  Cereal, cookies, over-the-counter medicines, candy, toys....the list goes on and on.

With all of the new information available on recycling and all of the “Green Initiatives” being introduced, it would stand to reason that restaurants, more particularly fast food restaurants, would somehow fall into the recycling trend.  This would also seem true considering that restaurants are some of the biggest generators of recyclable material. There are, however, “no federal laws or regulations in the U.S. specifically aimed at getting fast food chains to reduce, reuse or recycle their waste.”*

In our fast-paced lifestyle, it is not unheard of for families to hit a fast food restaurant or the drive-through at least once a week...maybe more. Ball games, practices, meetings, going here, going there.  It has become the norm.  We seem to not even notice it anymore, until the statistics really hit home. “At least one quarter of American adults eat fast food everyday”*

In order for many of us to do certain things, it has to be simple, convenient, and of benefit to us in some way.  Fortunately, when it comes to recycling in Northern Indiana and Southern Michigan, it is all three of these things.  

The term “recycling” conjures up thoughts of aluminum, plastic, glass, and paper.  A recyclable commodity that may get overlooked is wood.  Wood recycling, consisting both of raw wood and used wood products, as well as paper, and has become more of a focus in the past decade. We don’t normally think of recycling a natural, renewable resource, but considering the staggering statistics, it is more than necessary.

With the development of single stream recycling, the recycling process has come a long way from its initial introduction.  Labels can be left on tin cans and plastic bottles since the heat involved in the processing of these materials eliminates the labels altogether. Most recycling centers even allow lids to be left on plastic bottles and containers.  If that’s the case, surely something as harmless as stickers on a cardboard box is ok, right?  The answer to that is a surprising No. How about a little food residue in cans, plastic or cardboard? Although recycling centers ask that plastic, glass, and metal recyclables be rinsed and clean,  cardboard and paper is a different story.  

It’s very common when one thinks of document destruction, the word “shredding” comes to mind.  Most commercial workplaces or home offices have had, at one time or another, a strip-shred or cross-cut shredding machine in them.  Depending on the need, one can be purchased for under $50 to well over $3,500.  While these may do a fair job of shredding at times, the real question to consider is whether or not a bag full of recyclable paper particles at the end of the day, headed for the landfill, is the best-practice for your company’s data security and environmental mindedness? 

When researching and learning about recyclable materials this past year, I have come across some things that I hadn’t necessarily thought of.  Along with information that I was looking for on what to recycle, how to recycle, and even statistics on the demographics of those most likely to recycle, comes some sad and alarming news about cooking with these materials.