Content contributed by Earth911.com, the leading resource for local recycling solutions.

If you religiously recycle your old newspapers and junk mail, you’re not alone. In 2007, 56 percent of the paper used in the U.S. was recovered—an average of 360 pounds of paper per person. But have you been recycling your dead light bulbs, flat tires, and leftover paint? You may not be able to put such items on the curb, but many companies and communities are providing ways to recycle them. In fact the EPA says that about 75% of what Americans throw away these days could be recycled.

Read the tips below to boost the statistics for your household—and maybe even benefit your whole community. Recycling not only saves energy and reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills. It can also prevent hazardous materials and chemicals from contaminating soil and leaching into local drinking water.

Top Tips

At home

• Know your trash. Check with your local government or recycling company to get a list of what materials you can and cannot put in your curbside bin.
• Go beyond the big five. Most curbside recycling programs accept the “big five”: paper, plastic, glass, steel, and aluminum. For everything that can’t be put on your curb, check Earth911’s recycling database for drop-off locations near you. This includes items like paint, batteries, compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), and pesticides. You can access through the database using the widget at the top of this page.  In addition, use mail-back and store drop-off programs. Most auto parts stores and mechanics will take used motor oil and old tires. For electronics, look into drop-off programs such as Best Buy’s and the EPA’s eCycling Program. Products such as cell phones can be mailed to manufacturers or traded in for money.
• Spread the word. Encourage your family and friends to recycle, both when they visit you and at their own homes.

While shopping

• Shop for better trash. Choose products with minimal packaging or packaging made from recyclable materials. Better yet, buy in bulk and bring your own reusable containers to the store to hold items you might otherwise put in a disposable container. Tell the checkout clerk the weight of the container when it’s empty, so it can be subtracted from the price of items bought by the pound.
• Know your plastics. If you need to buy something in a disposable plastic container, use one made from one of the most readily recyclable forms of plastic: #1 and #2, which will be marked in a recycling symbol on the bottom of the product. Check Earth911’s recycling database for ideas about how to recycle products made from other kinds of plastic, such as plastic bags and Styrofoam. To motivate yourself, remember this: It takes plastic bottles 700 years to begin to decompose in a landfill.
• Make a deal. Consider trade-in programs when purchasing computers and other new equipment. By planning ahead, you’ll save time and money on proper disposal.
• Close the loop. Buy products that contain recycled materials. When buying recycled content paper, remember to look for the highest percentage of post-consumer waste content.
• Buy less. It’s good to recycle. But it’s even better not to create any waste in the first place. Before you buy, ask yourself: Do you really need another (fill in the blank)?

Other Considerations

Some recycling lingo is confusing. What, for instance, is the difference between recycled-content products and recyclable products? What’s post-consumer content?

• Recycled-content products are made from materials that would otherwise have been discarded. That means these products are made totally or partly from recycled material such as aluminum soda cans or newspaper. Recycled-content products also can be rebuilt or re-manufactured from used products such as toner cartridges or computers. More than 4,500 recycled-content products are available, and this number continues to grow. In fact, many of the products people regularly purchase contain some recycled content.
• Recyclable products can be collected and remanufactured into new products after they’ve been used. These products do not necessarily contain recycled materials and only benefit the environment if people recycle them.
• Post-consumer content is material that has served its intended use and is being reused in a different product. If a product is labeled “recycled content” and not “post-consumer content” it may be made from manufacturing waste—not material collected through a recycling program.

Feel as if you need to be a chemist to figure out what kind of plastic you are trying to recycle? This list will help:

#1 PET (Polyethylene terephthalate)*: soda bottles, oven-ready meal trays, and water bottles
#2 HDPE (High-density polyethylene)*: milk bottles, detergent bottles, and grocery/trash/retail bags
#3 PVC (Polyvinyl chloride): plastic food wrap, loose-leaf binders, and plastic pipes
#4 LDPE (Low-density polyethylene): dry cleaning bags, produce bags, and squeezable bottles
#5 PP (Polypropylene): medicine bottles, aerosol caps, drinking straws, and food containers (such as yogurt, ketchup bottles and sour cream/butter/hummus tubs)
#6 PS (Polystyrene): compact disc jackets, packaging Styrofoam peanuts, and plastic tableware
#7 Other: reusable water bottles, certain kinds of food containers, and Tupperware

Benefits

…to your health
Keeping hazardous wastes out of the waste stream will keep local water and air cleaner.

…to your wallet
Recycling programs can bring new jobs into your community. Incinerating 10,000 tons of waste creates one job; landfilling 10,000 tons of waste creates six jobs; recycling 10,000 tons of waste creates 36 jobs. Recycling can also put money in your pocket. Some cities pay for recyclables you bring to their centers and/or reward good recyclers with lower rates for their trash pickup or other incentives. Shopping to minimize waste saves money, too.
…to the Earth

• According to the U.S. EPA, recycling (including composting your yard wastes and table scraps) diverted 68 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators in 2001, up from 34 million tons in 1990.
• America’s current level of recycling saves the equivalent of more than 5 billion gallons of gasoline, reducing dependence on foreign oil by 114 million barrels.
• Substituting recycled for virgin material reduces climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions. Producing new plastic products from recycled materials uses two-thirds less energy than is required to make products from virgin materials.

Common Mistakes

Getting All Mixed Up. Throwing the wrong thing into the recycling bin increases the cost of your community’s recycling effort. Some estimates put the industry-wide costs of contamination at about $700 million a year.

Getting Started

Here are few of the key elements to starting a recycling program, whether it’s for a business, a school, an organization, or just in your home.

• Decide what to recycle. Evaluate how much space you have to sort and store materials and what items you tend to go through on a regular basis, such as plastic bottles.
• Find a vendor. Check with your local recycling center, municipality, or waste hauler to find out what kind of materials are accepted in your area. The green Earth911 recycling locator at the top of the page can help.
• Decide on storage. Washable plastic bins or trash cans are the best to use to store your recycling. Be sure to rinse out the containers that held food to avoid critters.
• Educate participants. If items are put in the wrong containers, it means more work for you and could mean materials are not recycled.
• Label bins. Print up a sheet of special instructions, such as: remove caps, stomp on containers, break down cardboard boxes, bundle newspapers, and so forth.
• Maintain and monitor. Keep the storage bins clean and dry and make sure materials don’t pile up. A clean recycling area encourages other to keep it clean and uncluttered as well.
• Reward good behavior. Praise your participants and share any monetary rewards from dropping off materials.

Related Products and Services

• Home Composting
• The 3 Rs and Beyond

As you wait patiently for your groceries to approach the cashier’s scanner, you are expecting the bagger to ask, “Paper or Plastic?”  Perhaps, without thinking twice, you blurt out your preference for the copious bags that will soon pile at the bottom of your pantry or in the trashcan.   A few shoppers may actually consider plastic because of easy storage and small, light size, for eco-friendliness you’d think paper is the slam dunk best choice.  The right answer and the facts surrounding the claim may surprise you.

Say ‘goodbye’ to millions of trees

Bagging your red peppers and carrots in a paper bag is not the answer to ‘greening up’ your trip to the grocery store.  In fact, paper bags are no better than plastic bags.  Many believe that because they are tree based products they are more eco-friendly.  In order to produce the desired amounts of paper bags, many trees have to be logged and processed. According to the American Forest and Paper Association, in 1999, 14 million trees were cut down to produce the 10 billion paper grocery bags used in the United States that year alone.  It is reasonable to say that the numbers have increased since then to accommodate the rising population.

The production of paper for grocery bags worldwide is a process which heavily relies on the presence of various chemicals.  The pungent smell of paper mills is not the only thing that can irritate the surrounding ecosystem.  The use of toxic chemicals contributes to both air pollution, such as acid rain, and water pollution.  In 1988, the Federal Office of the Environment published that in fact the production of paper sacks generate 70% more air and 50 times more water pollutants than plastic bags.

Since people associate paper bags with other unwanted paper products like newspapers or advertisements, paper bags have a higher recycling rate than plastic.  Unfortunately, despite the great effort of recyclers worldwide, paper recycling can cost a lot of energy.  The Society of the Plastic Industry’s (SPI) research states that it takes 1444 BTUs or 1362 kJ to recycle one paper bag.  This is almost half of the energy is taken to create the bag originally; thus, some energy is conserved.  But, is expelling additional energy to remanufacture the product a good choice?

Plastic isn’t that fantastic

Plastic bags are often seen blowing in tree branches, clogging street drains, floating in our oceans, and flooding our storage cabinets.  It is estimated by scientists that, worldwide, more than a million plastic bags are consumed and discarded per minute. That is approximately 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags annually.  Many are striving to decrease the outrageous number of plastic bags that reach the landfill by recycling used bags.  According to the Wall Street Journal, only 1% to 3% of plastic bags are being recycled,  Eleven barrels of oil are saved when one ton of plastic bags is reused or recycled, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

What happens to the plastic bags which do not get recycled?  The most obvious answer – they reach the landfill where they do not biodegrade due to their chemical composition.  Even the SPI determined that plastic bags do not break down completely into organic materials.  While the bags make your local landfill their home, they go through a process called photodegradation.  This means that the plastic is broken down into smaller pieces which can gain mobility and relocation via water, wind, or wildlife.  According to the EPA and The Ocean Conservancy, wildlife is significantly threatened by various plastics, including discarded bags.  Marine life constantly mistake plastic bags for prey like jellyfish, and consuming plastic bags can cause blockage to the digestive tract which leads to starvation and death. In 2002, a whale that washed up on the coast of Normandy had 800 grams of plastic elements, including plastic bags, in its stomach.

Unlike biodegradable paper bags, plastic bags have become common in even the most remote places like Antarctica.  According to David Barnes, a marine scientist with the British Antarctic Survey, plastic bags were a rarity in the late 1980s, yet since the early 1990s they have significantly contributed to pollution.

Thankfully, news like this travels faster than migrating plastic bags and has motivated worldwide communities to take action.  In 2002, the Irish government imposed a plastic bag consumption tax (called a PlasTax); consumers pay an obligatory fee of $0.15 per bag at check out.  This has reduced consumption of plastic bags by 90% and has saved the country 18 million liters of oil, and counting. China has also banned the distribution of free plastic bags, in efforts to encourage reusable alternatives.  Closer to home, San Francisco has become the first U.S. city to ban petroleum-based plastic grocery bags in 2007.

The answer you’re looking for – BYOB

Bring your own bags!  The alternative to plastic and paper bags is reusable bags because they are designed for more than a one-time use.  Reusable bags come in many different colors, sizes, and are made out of various materials. Reusable shopping bags are available to accommodate produce, heavy items, and little storage space.  Substituting reusable bags for disposable ones will help save millions of dollars on oil extraction used for plastic bag production, land clean ups, future disposable bag purchases by stores, and the remanufacturing costs incurred by recycling centers to process disposable bags.

By bringing your own bags to your shopping experience, you will help eliminate the addition of plastic and/or paper bags into our landfills and ecosystems.  Consequently, you are preventing the pollution of our oceans.  One reusable bag can replace thousands of plastic bags which could have negatively impacted our planet.   You are also saving terrestrial and marine wildlife by decreasing their interaction with disposed garbage and possible paper mill emissions.

The answer to our shopping woes almost seems too obvious, but most Americans continue to use plastic and/or paper bags.  Take a stand against plastic and paper bags, and damaging consequences associated with them.  Start by recycling your current paper bags, along with your other paper products. Then take a trip to the local grocery store to dispose of your plastic bags, by dropping them into the designated plastic bag recycling bin that most grocery stores are taking the initiative to install.  The last and most exciting part of this eco-friendly approach to shopping is the investment in reusable bags.  Browse the collection of reusable bags at your local grocery store or online.

Eco-friendly pet waste baggies (no more petroleum based plastic)

Reusablebags.com

Earthwise Bags

GoGreen-Bags

Wedge World

There must be something in the water in high schools across the world nowadays. How can it be that high school students are solving some of recycling’s biggest mysteries- mysteries that have stumped multiple degree-holding scientists? When most awkward teens are worrying about pimples on their face, a pop quiz or who to ask to prom, Daniel Burd and Tseng I-Ching were busy researching microorganisms that eat plastic and Styrofoam. Last year in May, Daniel Burd received attention not just from his home country of Canada but news media worldwide for his discovery of polyethylene (plastic)-eating microorganisms(Sphingomonas and Pseudomonas). In the environment, plastic can take hundreds and hundreds of years to decompose, but with Burd’s research, he predicts that plastic can decompose in as little as three months. Impressive for a 16-year old.

Tseng I-Ching must have channeled Daniel Burd and his science project because just this past May she dominated the world’s largest science fair (the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair with her discovery of polystyrene (Styrofoam)-eating bacteriumwhich is extracted from mealworm beetles. Tseng, a 16-year old high school student from Taiwan, worked with 500 mealworm beetles isolating the bacterium that decomposes polystyrene found in their digestive tracts. Although she did not mention how long it takes for the bacterium to decompose polystyrene, finding another way to decompose Styrofoam is an amazing feat.

What is Styrofoam?

Styrofoam is expanded plastic foam (EPS), specifically an expanded version of the number six plastic polystyrene, used for many different functions involved with insulation. Although Styrofoam is one product of polystyrene created by the Dow Chemical Company, we associate all fluffy, white material as Styrofoam. Expanded Polystyrene made its debut back in WWII as material for floating water-proof rafts; however, the uses for this plastic have greatly diversified since then. We see it being used daily and in mass quantities as take-out containers at restaurants, as coffee cups in the office, as insulation for walls, and as packing material. We use Styrofoam for just about anything because it’s cheap, effective, and lightweight (

Why is EPS dangerous?

EPS is created from a number of dangerous chemicals such as benzene and styrene.

…To your health

According to a study revised in 2000 by the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), styrene is dangerous when broken down. Short-term exposure to styrene can cause eye and mucous membrane irritation, and gastrointestinal harm. Long-term exposure to styrene is much more dangerous, causing headaches, depression, fatigue, weakness, and hearing loss. Some studieshave shown that long-term exposure to styrene decreases birth rates, increases the risk for leukemia and lymphoma, and has devastating effects on the liver, kidney, and stomach. If you have to use EPS, never heat it because doing so releases toxic fumes that increase the risk of health problems.

…To the environment

Benzene, a very toxic chemical labeled as a carcinogen, is extracted from coal; extracting coal from mines is very damaging to the environment and contributes to land erosion. Besides the dangers of producing EPS, Styrofoam takes hundreds of years to decompose naturally. There are few known methods of breaking it down quickly. Because EPS is an end product, it cannot be recycled into different products, only reincarnated as itself. This limits recycling options since the process of melting EPS into a liquid state and then reforming it is too labor-intensive and toxic for recycling centers to handle. Most recycling centers do not accept EPS because they do not have the technology available to reprocess it, so people just throw it away with their trash. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, EPS accounts for less than one percent of the solid waste stream by weight. However, you have to remember that EPS is 98% air and all volume which means that EPS accounts for much more than one percent of the solid waste stream by surface area. Another reason why recycling centers do not collect EPS is the cost- it’s expensive. Compared to recycling glass which costs usually less than $100 per ton, EPS costs around $3000 per ton to recycleHowever, there are some recycling centers across the nation that do recycle EPS; you can find them online or by using Sierra Club Green Home’s Recycling Center Locator. One reason why people do not recycle EPS is because the requirements are too complex. Because EPS is used for many different things, recycling centers have many different rules and regulations for EPS as compared to paper or glass. Unfortunately, because of all these restrictions on EPS recycling, people have no choice but to throw away 25,000,000,000 Styrofoam coffee cupsevery year, enough to circle the Earth 436 timeswhich does not even include other EPS products.

When Styrofoam is not recycled, it ends up in landfills where it breaks down into small pieces allowing the wind to carry these thousands of pieces into the ocean and the environmentor it ends up in the oceans as large pieces that eventually break down into smaller pieces. Marine animals and birds mistake these little pieces of EPS as food causing a whole chain of events that eventually affects our health and the planet. EPS is toxic to humans and animals, and when we eat marine life that feed on it we are ingesting harmful chemicals.

How to solve the Styrofoam problem

…Don’t use Styrofoam

The easiest way to prevent EPS from leaking into the environment is to stop using it. Instead of Styrofoam coffee cups at the office, bring your own reusable mug or thermos. Instead of using Styrofoam plates, use reusable plates. For packing material consider biodegradable packing materials made with cornstarch or 100% recycled paper which can be found online. Consider using old newspapers, shredded cardboard, and even popcorn as alternatives to packing peanuts. We, the average consumers, aren’t the only culprits of using Styrofoam. Restaurants continue to choose EPS for take-out containers. One way to decrease the usage of Styrofoam at restaurants is to talk to the manager and show him or her alternatives to EPS such as biodegradable containers.

…Reuse Styrofoam as Loose Fill

Don’t know what to do with a large block of Styrofoam lying around in your garage? Shred it up and use the pieces for filling in bean bags or for potting plants. With EPS packing peanuts, just reuse them for your next package. You can also donate them to shipping stores.

…Recycle Styrofoam

A recent study by the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers found that 69 million pounds of EPS was recycled in the year 2008. Considering how light EPS is, 69 million pounds is quite a number. But millions of more pounds of EPS are thrown away in landfills. The number of recycling centers that accept EPS is growing. Check Sierra Club Green Home’s recycling locator for a center that accepts EPS near you.

…Natural Remedies

Scientists at Sony discovered that limonene,an oil from the skin of citrus fruits, completely dissolves EPS which then can be used reused. Tseng discovered that bacteria from mealworms decomposes Styrofoam.

The future looks bright for more natural remedies to dissolve EPS — we just need to discover them.

The science world is eagerly waiting for the next teen scientist. Who will emerge as plastic’s worst nightmare?

Benefits

…to you

By recycling Styrofoam or eliminating Styrofoam altogether, you will not be exposed to the toxins that it can give off, thus, reducing your chance of health risks associated with prolonged exposure.

…to your wallet

There are affordable alternatives to Styrofoam such as biodegradable packing material and biodegradable plates and bowls. You can even make your own biodegradable packing peanuts with cornstarch which is a safe and cheap alternative. If you are left with a Styrofoam container from a restaurant and have no idea what to do with it, try shredding the container apart into packing peanuts which saves you money on your next package.

…to the Earth

By recycling, reusing, or reducing EPS, the amount of it in landfills and in oceans will decrease which decreases the amount of tiny EPS particles being eaten by marine animals. The manufacturing of new Styrofoam will also decrease, thus limiting the amount of toxins such as benzene that are released into the environment.

For more information about

…EPS

…Recycling articles

When it comes to electronic gadgets, Americans can’t get enough. We want – no, need – to be connected at all times. We must have the latest and greatest electronics. And who wouldn’t opt for the brand new digital, plasma screen T.V. when it often costs much more to repair that ancient hunk-of-junk in the garage than it does to buy a brand new one? But what happens to that analog boob-tube when you have decided you would rather surf atop the digital wave? It is quite likely that the electronic devices you deem unworthy will end up in landfills. Your “old” video equipment, televisions, computers, cell phones and other hand-held devices, audio equipment, and video games make up more than 2% of the municipal solid waste stream. I know what you’re thinking: “That doesn’t seem like very much”. Well, electronic waste – more commonly known as e-waste – is the fastest growing waste stream in America. And that modest 2% of the waste stream accounts for 70% of toxic waste according to www.earth911.com. In the year 2000 more than 4.6 million tons of e-waste entered the landfill from America alone, and by 2007 the number almost doubled (2). Even those who believe they are doing the earth a favor by recycling their e-waste could be doing even more harm to the environment. Many companies who claim to recycle post-consumer electronics simply ship the e-waste off to developing countries with loosely-regulated recycling facilities unable to handle the toxic chemicals properly. We have a constant and insatiable appetite for new electronics, forcing countries like China, India and Pakistan to swallow our poisonous leftovers. To read more about global e-waste problems visit http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2003/01/57151 or http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/03/30/MNGNNOUHQL1.DTL

Fortunately, many computer manufacturers, TV manufacturers, and electronic retailers now offer take-back programs and sponsor legitimate recycling events. Although there are no federal laws in place regarding the management of e-waste, 19 states and New York City have passed some type of legislation to manage end-of-life electronics in a safer and more environmental way. You can view more information on state laws at www.ecyclingresource.org.

Top Tips

· Reduce – Do you really need that new cell phone, stereo, computer or TV? Although electronics are made to last years, many feel the need to buy new products as soon as they are available. And it seems as though companies are cranking out the next model before you even have a chance to snip your proof-of-purchase for that rebate. Basal Action Network (BAN), which is an organization that pushes for the U.S. to ratify the Basel Convention of international hazardous waste shipment, says at least 1 in 4 homes will trash their still-perfectly-good TV this year following the digital transition. Preventing waste by reducing electronic consumption is preferable to any waste management option.

· Reuse – While you are trying to find a purpose for your unused electronics, they are collecting dust in the garage. No, scratch that…the boxes they are in are collecting dust in the garage. Meanwhile, their useful life is wasting away until the time comes when you decide they need to be thrown away. Just because you had to have the newest Ipod or DTV doesn’t mean someone else won’t appreciate the perfectly good older model. Donating used electronics to schools, non-profit organizations, and low-income families is a great way to lengthen the life of electronic products and keep them out of the waste stream longer.

· Recycle – If a product is no longer in condition to be used, don’t just throw it away! There are precious parts and ingredients in electronic devices that can be recycled. The metal, plastics, batteries and packaging materials in products like cell phones can be used for new products. Metals like gold, silver, platinum, palladium, rhodium, copper, tin, lead, brass and zinc can be recovered and used for jewelry, plating, electronics, plumbing, automotive and art foundries.

Other Considerations

· E-waste pollution – It is important to be be careful where and with whom you send your e-waste to be recycled. Electronic equipment contains toxic compounds like lead, mercury, cadmium and brominated flame retardants that leak into soils and water supplies. Unfortunately, 50%-80% of e-waste is shipped to developing countries like China, India or Pakistan where recycling regulations are extremely loose if they even exist at all. The chemicals in e-waste are extremely harmful to the environment and cause severe health issues for the people living in surrounded areas. When recycling your e-waste, ensure that you are giving to a reputable and legitimate company. See these links for information on recycling e-waste:

· http://earth911.com/electronics/

· http://www.mygreenelectronics.org/

· http://www.eiae.org/

Benefits…

…to you

· Anything that is just sitting in your home unused not only creates clutter, it collects dust, which is bad for your health. The National Safety Council (http://www.nsc.org/) estimates that 75% of all personal computers ever sold are now gathering dust. So, it’s likely that you have a computer adding to the clutter and amount of dust collected in your home. If you absolutely have to have the newest electronics, donating your old products (or recycling if they are no longer useful) will clear your home of clutter and help you and your family breathe cleaner and easier.

…to your wallet

· Curbing your appetite for new electronic gadgets will definitely save you money. By waiting longer to buy a product, you will probably discover that it becomes much cheaper in 6 months, or (and here is the more sustainable and environmental option) you really don’t need the unnecessary expense.

· Some recycling centers will pay you for your used products. The website http://www.pacebutler.com/ claims to pay up to $75 for used cell phones.

· <;/span>Donations to churches, schools, low-income families and non-profit organizations are tax-deductible. So donating your usable electronics will increase the useful life of a product as well as your tax-return.

…to the earth

· Reducing, reusing and recycling electronics limits the amount of e-waste generated and dumped into our landfills. It increases the collection and treatment of products with high precious metal content and prevents the release of hazardous materials into our ecosystems. Practicing safe and sustainable e-waste management conserves the earth’s limited resources by reducing raw material extraction and encouraging more sustainable approaches to manufacturing.

1. International Association of Electronics Recyclers Industry Report, 2006. http://www.iaer.org/communications/indreport.htm

2. “Electronic Waste Management in the United States, Approach 1” Table 3.1 EPA530-R-08-009 US Environmental Protection Agency, July 2008. http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ecycling/docs/app-1.pdf

3. “eCycling”. US Environmental Protection Agency, January 2009. http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/materials/ecycling/index.htm

4. Palm, Erik. “DTV transition: Avoiding an e-waste ‘tsunami’”. Green Tech, June 2009. http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10260174-54.html

5. Mayfield, Kendra. “E-Waste: Dark Side of Digital Age”. Wired, January 2003. http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2003/01/57151

Most of us are not strangers to recycling. We are familiar with the multi-colored bins and the appropriate way to sort our recyclables. Despite our dedication and commitment to recycling, many items are ultimately diverted out of our recycling bins to landfills.

Before depositing any unwanted items into the bin, you should determine if they are accepted by your local recycling center. Most will provide you with a list of items they collect in each designated bin (ex: plastic #2 in the blue bin). Even though some can appear recyclable, they may in fact be sorted and placed into the trash. By acknowledging the following items as non-recyclable you may continue to make appropriate choice by investing in alternatives, reusing the items, or by simply reducing your consumption of them.

Common things which are actually non-recyclable

• Pizza boxes
  Reason:
  Even though pizza boxes are made out of recyclable cardboard, once the paper comes in contact with food oils and animal byproducts it can no longer be recycled. Simply stated: water and oil don’t mix in a paper slushy. A grease stained pizza box can cause a whole recycling bin to be contaminated and ultimately be diverted as trash.

Best alternative:
The most eco-friendly and fun substitute for a hot-and-ready pizza, is to make one yourself. This will allow you to eliminate the unnecessary packing associated with a ready or frozen pizza.

• Styrofoam
  Reason:
  Recycling centers do not collect styrofoam because the chemicals required to breakdown the product are extremely toxic. If processed, it can only be chopped or compressed into other styrofoam products. In addition, styrofoam is not biodegradable, thus when thrown away it can contaminate water ways, soil, and poison wildlife.

Best alternative:
When confronted with styrofoam at a restaurant (take out boxes, cups, plates, etc.), opt for an aluminum or paper container. In packages, styrofoam peanuts can be replaced with old newspapers, plastic bubbles, and even textiles.

• Plastic coat hangers
  Reason:
  It is difficult to determine what type of plastic is used to create hangers, thus recycling centers will not accept them. Even if marked, centers will sort your recycling bin and dispose of your unwanted hangers because the recycling machine can be damaged by wedged hangers.

Best alternative:
When shopping for a substitute, purchase 100% FSC certified wood hangers. Bamboo is a highly recommended wood due to its renewable and sustainable qualities. If you truly want to invest in an eco-friendly way to store your clothes, invest in a standing closet or organic hanging canvas shelves. Or, use a green dry cleaners that recycles the metal hangers for you. Many cleaners do provide re-use of hangers if they are returned in a neat stack.

• Mirrors
  Reason:
  The glass used for mirrors is non-recyclable due to its chemical composition. Since mirrors are made out of various components, there is not easy way to disassemble them for recycling. In addition, mirrors may contain various levels of lead, which if recycled and leached can pose a threat to the environment.

Best alternative:
If you are looking to purchase a new mirror, invest in one that is distinguishably marked lead-free. The best alternative would be to buy a vintage/antique mirror or to relocate an old mirror to remodel the room.

• Juice boxes
  Reason:
  According to the University of Michigan, Americans consume 4 billion juice boxes a year, all of which end up in landfills. Juice boxes which contain bright graphics and metallic insulation are non-recyclable because the bonded material are inseparable, thus preventing the recycling process to take place.

Best alternative:
When purchasing juice, get the kind which is sold in a recyclable plastic container. Avoid buying small individual bottles, packs, or boxes, instead purchase a large gallon of juice to refill your glasses or reusable bottles.

__________________________________________________________

Learn More:

Eco Water Bottles

Recycling by Force

Raising Healthy Children

Water Conservation Overview

Composting is nature’s way of recycling organic materials like fallen trees, yard waste, and even kitchen scraps. Home composting kits are now widely available so you can make good use of kitchen scraps in the yard or garden.

We know what you’re thinking. “If nature can recycle organics, why should I compost at home instead of putting my waste out for the landfill to decompose?” Well, the answer is simple. The process of composting occurs most effectively in specific conditions which landfills cannot provide due to the presence of other waste including plastics, metals, and textiles. These materials halt the process and inhibit the compost from forming. Thus composting at home will provide you with great satisfaction knowing that you are diverting trash from landfills and will save you money on fertilizers.

Under correct conditions, the end product is like black gold, a rich soil full of organic nutrients that can be added to your yard or houseplants. By making the decision to compost your scraps year round, you can reduce your contribution to the 30% of yard and kitchen waste collected in landfills. Composting is easy but even the experts get stumped about the composting process during the change of seasons. It is important to understand that composting requires various components and no matter the temperature change, it can continue successfully, if modified accordingly.

Heat, drought, desert, and… composting?

Composting in a hot, dry climate sounds like a contradiction, but despite the limited moisture it is possible. Many dedicated composters who live in the desert or experience hot summers find that their heap dries out significantly during immense heat. There are numerous steps you can take to prevent dry compost or to rejuvenate a “pile in progress”:

• Compost should be as moist as a wrung out rag; thus, if your heap is drier add water or move the bin into a shady area.

• Keep a lid on your compost pile to reduce evaporation; dry compost does not decay.

• Compost forms best with a carbon to nitrogen ratio of 30:1. Materials that contain carbon are generally brown and include dry leaves, wood chips, and cardboard. Nitrogen waste is green and includes things like lettuce, grass and fresh leaves. Arid climates are limited in carbon yard waste, so add debris like fallen pine needles, wood chips, ashes, corn stalks, shredded newspaper, shredded cardboard, sawdust, straw, and peanut shells.

• If you live in a dry climate or are experiencing a drought, you need to build your compost pile in a container that retains water. Using a plastic barrel or drum is a great idea. You do not want to use screening, widely-spaced slats, or chicken wire because this will promote evaporation.

• Every time you add another layer to the organic compost, use the hose to soak the material until it is about as damp as a wrung out rag. Make the layers of compost thinner when conditions are dry; you can accomplish this by increasing the surface area.

• When it does rain in your dry climate you’ll want to utilize the rainwater. Make the top of the compost indented like a bowl or dish. You can even create a water tube to hydrate the inside of the compost pile. Simply drill holes around a one to two inch PVC pipe connected to the water bowl and place it into the center of the pile.

Brr… it’s compost outside!

Composting during winter time or in cold climates is not unheard of. Despite the cold trips outdoors to their receptacles, many composters say that come spring, their compost is better than ever. Since worm and bacteria activity decreases in cold temperatures, your compost will slow down in decay and possibly overflow.

• If you have harsh winters, move your compost pile to a warmer area (close to an outside wall, alongside the garage, or other sheltered area) during cold months.

• If the compost pile is cold, try adding more nitrogen (green waste). Remember to maintain a well balanced ratio of carbon to nitrogen.

• Adding some insulation (cardboard, wood, old home insulation) to your compost bin will help keep the heat in and continue composting during harsh winters.

• The earth can be a great source of insulation, you can dig a trench and dump water into it. Simply cover with a tarp when not in use and bury when full.

• If you live in a cold climate, keep your compost in a sunny area or indoors (shed, garage).

• Worms are an important part of composting, come winter and they’re nowhere to be found. You can purchase starter worms to add to your cold compost.

• Breaking down waste into smaller pieces during the winter will keep the composting process from slowing down excessively.

• To keep your system working during the winter you will need to continue adding materials all winter. Most people don’t like to take frequent trips through their backyard tundra, so keep a small composting bin under the sink for scraps. When it fills, empty it into the outdoor composting bin (if you did not move it indoors).

Temperate Climate

Composting is most popular in areas with temperate climates. The weather provides the necessary temperature and moisture for the composting process. However, despite the favorable climate any heap can be ruined if you add meats, fish, citruses, oily foods (which are likely to attract unwanted pests), milk products, and pet manures. Keep in mind that manure from pets that are herbivores such as rabbits, gerbils, sheep, cows, and chickens is a great supplement because their manure is a great source of nitrogen. In addition to such helpful tips, there are also general rules to composting in a temperate region:

• If it is too wet, remove the lid of your composting bin for one/two days or elevate the compost pile so that the excess liquid can drain from the bottom. Too much liquid can halt the process.

• Sometimes composting can be a challenge in temperate climates due to the unexpected amount of rainwater or temperature. Balance the wetness of your heap by adding things like hay, sawdust, or leaves.

• Since the location’s soil is likely to be rich and full of worms, position your compost pile over soil rather than concrete. Worms will aid in the process and will produce excellent vermicompost (you can purchase additional worms).

For more information

Sierra Club Composting Video

Trash Compactors

Garbage Disposals

Healthy Lawns and Gardens

]]> http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/go-green/composting/composting-tips-warm-hot-or-cold/feed/ 5 http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/go-green/composting/composting/ http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/go-green/composting/composting/#comments Sun, 02 May 2010 16:56:33 +0000 tyra http://sierraclubgreenhome.com/?p=185 Garbage in, money out

Watch Owen Bailey from the Sierra Club teach you how to compost at home.
Making compost from food waste and garden trimmings is fun, easy, and profitable. Even if you live in an apartment and don’t have room for a compost bin, you can make compost indoors.

It’s basically just organic material that gets broken down into soil by trillions and trillions of bacteria, earthworms, insects, and other organisms. If organic material didn’t decompose, our world would soon suffocate in dead plant material and the corpses of everything in the animal kingdom from mites to whales! Composting is nature’s way of recycling.

Almost any type of yard or food waste can be placed in your compost: banana peels, egg shells, vegetable trimmings, leftovers, and grass clippings. All you have to do is cover the material with a few inches of soil, moisten it a bit, and let nature make something out of nothing.

Top Tips

At home

• Grab a bucket. You’ll need a small bucket with a lid for collecting food waste in your kitchen. If you want to go high end, stainless steel buckets with filters in the lid let air in but absorb odors.
• Get a bin. You can buy compost bins, tumblers, and other composting devices for anywhere from $30 to $1,000. Some of the simpler, cheaper models work as well as or better than the more complicated or expensive models. Unless you have a huge yard, bins are a must. They’ll keep things tidy and prevent flies and rodents from invading.

• Chop, chop. The finer the material you put in your bin, the faster it decomposes. Also, long stems make it hard to turn the compost to air it out. If you have a garden shredder or chipper, use it to grind up plants, twigs, and branches. A sharp machete is great for chopping, if you don’t have a machine.
• Add water. A spray of water helps speed up the process if your raw material is dry. But too much water can make the compost so soggy that it won’t decompose as fast. So if your compost bin doesn’t have a cover, it’s best to cover it with plastic if there is heavy rain.
• And turn. Fast, effective composting needs oxygen. Whatever system you use, make sure you keep the compost well aerated. If the compost smells bad, it’s not getting enough air. If you have regular compost bins, turn the compost each week. A pitchfork is handy for this purpose. If you get a tumbler-type bin, give it a good spin each time you feed it, or more often if the compost is clumping, clotting, stinking, or not brewing fast enough.
• Add a nitrogen kick. Compost takes at least eight weeks, but if yours seems to be working too slowly, add blood meal from a garden shop. Green materials such as grass clippings also add nitrogen.

When shopping, look for

• A composting bin that fits your lifestyle. There are dozens of compost bins and tumblers on the market. They all work–but some take more effort on your part than others. You also need a model sized to fit the space you have available. Here’s a brief survey of your choices:
  • Some are simple bins--basically boxes with enough holes to allow oxygen to make the refuse break down into compost. With these, you need to turn the compost.
  • Stacking bins are square or round modules that fit together to make a box of whatever height you need. You can break these down into several boxes to keep the finished compost separate from the less finished.
  • Separation screen bins are rectangular bins that allow the finished compost to sift to the bottom for easy removal rather than requiring movement of more finished compost to another box for finishing. Some compost tumblers also have this feature.
  • Compost tumblers are closed cylindrical bins that stir up and aerate the compost when you crank or spin them around. With these, you don’t have to turn your compost. And you don’t have to worry about getting too much moisture from rain. Remember, though, that unless the tumbler has a mechanism to separate finished or unfinished compost you’ll have to wait until a batch of compost is finished before adding any more garbage or clippings.
  • Worm composting bins might sound yucky, but earthworms are harmless creatures that can turn waste to compost in very short order. Worm composters ideal for apartment dwellers who want to make their own soil for flower pots and other containers. Our partner, the Shedd Aquarium, has great advice on how to start composting with worms. One important caution: The red wiggler earthworms sold for worm composting are non-native, and can harm northern forests. If you live near a forest in a northern state, don’t let your worms escape. If you use worm compost outside or are giving it to somebody who will, freeze it for a week to kill worms and eggs.

Other Considerations

If you’re the least bit handy, you can make your own compost bins or worm composters or tumblers. All it takes for a compost tumbler, for example, is drilling lots of holes in a garbage can, securing the lid with bolts, twine, or bungee cords, and rolling it around frequently.

Benefits…

…to your yard
Compost is rich in organic matter. Adding it to your soil helps it retain water, reducing the need to irrigate. A healthier soil makes healthier plants, which require little or no fertilizer and pesticide.

…to your wallet
A typical household of four could make about 500 pounds of compost each year from its food and yard waste. Purchasing the same amount of compost or potting soil from a garden supplier would cost about $40.

…to the Earth
Of the 31 million tons of food waste Americans send to landfills each year, only 3% is recycled. More composting would reduce the amount of fuel it takes local governments to deal with this mountain of waste. Well-managed home compost also avoids the release of methane, a global warming gas emitted by organic matter decaying in the absence of oxygen in landfills. And composting improves soil quality, reducing need for water, fertilizer, and pesticides.

Common Mistakes

• Failure to finish. Part of the art of composting is separating the fine, finished compost from the newer, unfinished, still-basically-garbage stuff. So if you only have one compost box, bin, tumbler, or other device, be sure it has a screen or other form of separation.
• Haste. Don’t get in a rush. Finished compost is dark, fine, crumbly, and odorless–even earthily fragrant–like good soil. It really takes at least eight weeks, even if compost bin manufacturers claim their devices will produce it faster. Unfinished compost can damage or even kill plants.
• Using pet waste. Never! Cat and dog feces can contain very dangerous organisms. On the other hand, manure from rabbits, chickens, cows, and horses is fine, and will enrich the compost.
• Using fatty food, meat, or dairy products. Fats, meat, or dairy products can attract rodents and insects.
• Using material that’s too big. Twigs and branches more than an inch or so in diameter will take a long time to break down. If you have a shredder or chipper, use it.

Getting Started

The first order of business is to find the right site. If you have to run an obstacle course to reach your compost bin, you’re less likely to take garbage out and maintain the compost. Also, it’s best to put compost bins in full sun, especially in cold climates. It’s also handy to have it near a water faucet, because it may need to be moistened in dry weather. In cold locations, cover the heap with straw to keep it warmer.

Common trash that’s actually recyclable

Every day, landfills receive literally tons of trash, including numerous recyclable items. Even if you follow your center’s requirements to the ‘T’, you may still be throwing away items that can be recycled elsewhere. To significantly reduce your waste output, better the environment, and aid your community by learning to recycle, here are recycling tips you should know:

• Textiles

Most textiles are leftover scraps, discarded clothes, or worn furniture fabric. Once textiles are collected via donation sites or factory leftovers, they are ground up into fabric pulp, which can later be weaved or knitted into items. In addition, fabrics like jean materials can be re-manufactured as insulation.

Drop-off:

Before throwing away the old clothes a thrift or donation location did not take, do your research on possible textiles drop off sites (SCGH Recycling Center). Numerous recycling centers actually pick up textiles on residential curbsides. If you are willing to recycle a used item made by a popular brand, you can contact the company and request information about their recollection policies. For example, Patagonia allows customers to ship back their used clothes for recycling.

• Eyeglasses

Most used prescription eyeglasses usually get put into the abyss of a drawer or are simply tossed in the trash. However, eyeglasses can be recycled. When glasses are collected, prescription lens are removed to either be smelted or reinstalled for new patients (depending on Rx). The eyeglasses frames are inspected, polished, tightened, and are prepared for reuse.

Drop-off:

You can call 1.800.CLEANUP or visit our Recycling Search Center to get a list of eyeglass recycling locations near you. Such centers are affiliated with a program called Give the Gift of Sight.

• Electronics

In the year 2000, more than 4.6 million tons of e-waste entered the landfill from America alone, and by 2007 the number almost doubled. If you are no longer using your old cell phone, computer or any other electronic, don’t just throw it away. Numerous manufacturers offer take-back programs or you can take your e-waste to a drop-off site at a box store to get e-cycled. When collected, electronics are separated by metals (gold, silver, aluminum, etc.), plastics, and batteries. The collected resources can be smelted or reinstalled.

Drop-off:

To locate a drop-off site for a specific brand contact a representative, so a take-back package can be mailed to you with further instructions. If you are interested in dropping off your item, find a location by zip code at our Recycling Center.

• Tires

Many of us have seen tires that have been dumped on the side of a road or in a middle of a field, but they are in fact easy to recycle. So instead of sending a tire to the grave, drop them off at a manufacturer or pick-up site. Tires can be shredded and recycled into basketball floors, shoe soles, or modified into new rubber products. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in 2003 approximately 230 million tires were recycled, with numbers continuously growing.

Drop-off:

Recommended drop-off sites are available on our site or can be found on specific manufacturers’ websites. Locally, recycling programs are available at various tire dealership or mechanic shops.

• Light bulbs

In various states it is illegal to dispose of light bulbs in general waste baskets, especially fluorescents. Light bulbs contain mercury and other elements that may be toxic to ecosystems. The recycling process primarily focuses on reclaiming mercury and precious metals from discarded light bulbs, this prevents toxic leaching into landfills and allows companies to reuse various content.

Drop-off:

Visit your local Home Depot store which runs a take-back program. In 2008, Home Depot announced a national recycling program, in all of its 1,973 stores. Drop-offs may also be done via FedEx with www.lightbulbrecycling.com.

Top tip:

“Cash for Clunkers” act two might be called “Funds for Fridges.” The continuation to America’s ever-popular “Cash for Clunkers” program (which yielded 690,114 cars) will soon jump start a new “Cash for Appliances” program that’s coming to a utility near you.

Even though “Cash for Clunkers” is over for cars, over 60 utilities across the U.S. will be offering money for recycled appliances such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, and more. The federal government will be offering rebates from $50 to $200 in support of consumers purchasing more energy-efficient appliances. The goal is simple: Take energy-sucking appliances out of homes and off of energy grids, in favor of newer, more energy-efficient ones, that will save consumers money, and conserve energy.

Supported as part of President Obama’s $787 billion stimulus plan, the Department of Energy will provide states with $300 million which will include these rebates in an effort to boost the economy, and also persuade and help citizens make a transition into a better green, energy-conserving lifestyle.

From a related article in wishtv.com, hhgregg sales manager, Nick Allison says, “What we’re hoping to see is if these rebates come through, consumers can use them with the manufacturer’s rebates and offer them additional savings.”

Let’s All Join In

NV Energy of Nevada has collected over 50,000 refrigerators, freezers, and related appliances over the past five years, giving customers $30 per turn-in. John Hargrove of NV Energy says the goal is to produce the state-ordered 25% of electricity through renewable or energy-efficient sources by 2025.

Regina Stepanov, Vice President of the UNLV Sierra Student Coalition, says, “The average American household spends roughly $2,000 a year on energy bills. Taking the simple initiative to purchase Energy Star appliances will prove to be a true investment, as homeowners will begin to significantly save money and better the environment. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Energy Star appliances use 15% less energy than typical appliances. If each household switches to at least one sustainable appliance, even a toaster oven, the energy savings would be immense nationwide. “

Companies like NV Energy, Jaco Environmental and Nebraska Public Power District collected old appliances for recycling for over 25 years. Jaco recycles almost 95% of its appliances, which are destroyed at a waste-to-energy incinerator. The steel is recycled and used for rebar to reinforce roadways, the plastic goes to anything from laptops to compact disc casings, even the chlorofluorocarbons are recycled.

Why not make a little money for your old appliances, along with purchasing an energy-efficient new one in its place? “Cash for Appliances” would seem to be a win/win for both consumers and retailers. You can save hundreds of dollars per year on energy bills, while helping to protect the planet in the process.

Other Reading and Resources

Cash for Appliances Program on the Way by wishtv.com

Appliances Get Their Own Recycled Clunkers Program

President Obama’s Plan

Cash For Clunkers

On June 23rd 2009, the Board of Supervisors for the City of San Francisco passed an ordinance which will be the most sweeping recycling law in the country. The mandatory recycling ordinance, proposed by Mayor Gavin Newsom states that residents of the city must recycle and separate their compostable waste into three different trash bins: green for compost, black for trash, and blue for recycling. Failure to abide by this ordinance could also result in fines reaching as much as $500.

Section 1803 of San Francisco’s “Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance” states:

All persons in San Francisco must source separate their refuse into recyclables, compostables and trash, and place each type of refuse in a separate container designated for disposal of that type of refuse. No person may mix recyclables, compostables or trash, or deposit refuse of one type in a collection container designated for another type of refuse, except as otherwise provided in this Chapter.

Mayor Gavin Newsom’s goal is for San Francisco to have a 75 percent recycling rate in 2010, with zero waste by 2020. San Francisco already isolates 72 percent of the 2.1 million tons of waste that its resident’s produce each year away from landfills and into recycling programs, but it’s the mandatory composting that has the city’s officials most exited.

“When the nation is looking at complex solutions for climate-change reduction, we should not overlook the importance of simple things like increasing the recycling rate and composting.” says Jared Blumenfeld, who is the director of the city’s Department of Environment.

The city already composts 400 tons of food scraps a day, 90 percent of which goes towards enriching the soil of vineyards in Napa and Sonoma Counties. If the rest of the country were to catch up with San Francisco’s goals, we could divert more than 190 million tons annually. That’s the equivalent of 1,900 Nimitz-class aircraft carriers! Set end to end, they would stretch over 374 miles – that would almost stretch from Boston to Washington DC.

“People will embrace composting just like they embraced recycling,” says Nathan Ballard, the spokesperson for Mayor Newsom, who himself began composting kitchen scraps six months ago. “Here in San Francisco people are crazy about recycling. Composting is the next frontier.“

Although mandatory composting and recycling being enforced seems to be a good idea that will boost the city’s recycling rate tremendously, there are still others who are opposed to this ordinance.

Comments from the “blogging” city residents range from “outrage” to “their civil rights being contested”. One blogger wrote: “Welcome to the world of Big Brother, San Francisco! You don’t get to decide whether or not to recycle, and if you don’t the trash police will get you…”

With the newly-enacted mandatory recycling and composting law, San Franciscans everywhere need to think twice before throwing away a soda bottle in the trash, and not a recycling bin. Failing to place the bottle in its appropriate blue recycling bin could result in a $100 fine. The new law punishes those careless or perhaps forgetful San Franciscans who disobey the recycling law by collecting fines ranging from $80-$100 for the first offense.

What happens if one careless San Franciscan becomes a repeat offender? Well, for the second offense, he is fined between $150-$200. If they continue to throw away left-overs in the trash and the appropriate green composting bin, they will be fined $250-$500 for each additional offense. An alternative to this punishment hierarchy is an administrative fine of $250 for each violation; however, the government of San Francisco plans to just fine $100 for each violation as a way to make this law more accepted by the residents.

The mandatory recycling and composting law, not only punishes those San Franciscans who throw everything away in one trash can, the SF government will also fine businesses $500 for failing to provide appropriate receptacles for recyclables, compost, and trash. Businesses that provide food or beverages must have appropriate bins that are easily accessible and placed next together outside at all exits for their customers to separate their trash. These businesses also must place ashtrays or other receptacles for employees or customers who smoke. All receptacles must be emptied when they are full with their designated materials and at the end of the day where the separated items need to be cleanly placed in a storage area or collection site. All San Francisco residents and businesses are responsible for separating and maintaining trash and having collection services pick up their separated trash.

There are exceptions to the law for property owners and managers, however. In section 1910, these exceptions are defined. Any property owner or manager who does not have enough space to house the blue, green, and black receptacles must fill out a form detailing the lack of storage space. If an on-site examiner concludes that the property lacks enough storage space, sharing of receptacles with other property owners is an option. Another option is for the property owner to drop-off compost and recyclables at a San Francisco transfer station that has been collected from a public trash bin.

Cities with mandatory recycling laws – Pittsburgh, San Diego, Seattle – are not as stringent as San Francisco, but others such as Honolulu mandate certain materials be recycled, but don’t have overarching laws. In 1994 South Korea initiated a policy similar to what San Francisco has just enacted. They experienced a 175 percent increase in recycling in 10 years of implementation. They make citizens pay for bags that contain non-recyclable material, that way there is a direct economic incentive for people to use recyclable materials.

Is this a wasted effort?

Maybe it’s time we all get on board with Mayor Newsom. Mandatory composting and/or recycling has been around before San Francisco’s new law, but many states and countries are still awaiting on a green epiphany.

http://ecoworldly.com/2008/04/09/should-recycling-be-mandatory/

http://www.vexen.co.uk/countries/best.html

http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/environment/waste_management/l28168_en.htm

http://ecoworldly.com/2008/04/09/should-recycling-be-mandatory/

http://www.vexen.co.uk/countries/best.html

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