Race 2 Recycle, local residents doing much better than national average
By Kristen Copeland Nov. 12, 2015
UTICA - Oneida and Herkimer County Residents are winning America's "Race 2 Recycle". The nationwide recycling rate is around 30%, here at home we see a 56% recycling rate. Researchers at Yale University recently conducted a study that showed the federal government underestimated how much garbage is headed to American landfills. Yale found 289 million tons of trash is going to the landfills every year, the Environmental Protection Agency had estimated the figure at 135 million tons. On average, each American produce five pounds of garbage per day. The Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority says local residents, on the other hand, are producing three pounds of garbage per day. in 2014, 166,000 tons of trash was taken to the Ava Landfill.
The Authority employs a school recycling coordinator to go into the local schools and not only help staff reduce costs but to teach students the proper way to dispose of certain items.
"I've been at functions where there isn't a recycling bin and a child is holding a water bottle saying what do I do with this? They don't even think to put it in the garbage," says Jamie Tuttle, School Recycling Coordinator. "Our hope is that they're learning this in school and taking it home to their families."
The Authority says the energy saved when we recycle just one glass bottle is enough to light a light bulb for four hours. Every ton of paper saves 17 trees.
"If you piled the paper alone that we recycled, it would stretch from New York City to San Francisco and back to New York City. That paper would be 5,000 miles high of just newspapers that residents have recycled here in Oneida and Herkimer Counties," says David Lupinski, Director of Recycling.
In 2011, The Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority introduced single stream recycling meaning your recyclables do not have to be sorted, everything can go into one bin. Paper, plastic, Metal and Glass. A detailed list of acceptable products can be found at ohswa.org. There are items that CAN be recycled locally but CAN'T be placed in your curbside bins. For example, a toy plastic pool or an old computer. The Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority has launched a new online resource where all you have to do is type in an item and you will be given disposal instructions. That too can be found at ohswa.org.
The 18th annual America Recycles Day is Sunday, November 18.
http://www.wktv.com/news/Race_2_Recycle_local...rage_.html
For part 2 of "Race 2 Recycle" click here. . .
mcp-media.s3.amazonaws.com/captures/5A6/EA1/5A6EA1F2ED574EBDB6D7AC5AA1B85A8C.mp4
- See more at: http://www.wktv.com/news/Race_2_Recycle_local...4STnu.dpuf
By Kristen Copeland Nov. 12, 2015
UTICA - Oneida and Herkimer County Residents are winning America's "Race 2 Recycle". The nationwide recycling rate is around 30%, here at home we see a 56% recycling rate. Researchers at Yale University recently conducted a study that showed the federal government underestimated how much garbage is headed to American landfills. Yale found 289 million tons of trash is going to the landfills every year, the Environmental Protection Agency had estimated the figure at 135 million tons. On average, each American produce five pounds of garbage per day. The Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority says local residents, on the other hand, are producing three pounds of garbage per day. in 2014, 166,000 tons of trash was taken to the Ava Landfill.
The Authority employs a school recycling coordinator to go into the local schools and not only help staff reduce costs but to teach students the proper way to dispose of certain items.
"I've been at functions where there isn't a recycling bin and a child is holding a water bottle saying what do I do with this? They don't even think to put it in the garbage," says Jamie Tuttle, School Recycling Coordinator. "Our hope is that they're learning this in school and taking it home to their families."
The Authority says the energy saved when we recycle just one glass bottle is enough to light a light bulb for four hours. Every ton of paper saves 17 trees.
"If you piled the paper alone that we recycled, it would stretch from New York City to San Francisco and back to New York City. That paper would be 5,000 miles high of just newspapers that residents have recycled here in Oneida and Herkimer Counties," says David Lupinski, Director of Recycling.
In 2011, The Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority introduced single stream recycling meaning your recyclables do not have to be sorted, everything can go into one bin. Paper, plastic, Metal and Glass. A detailed list of acceptable products can be found at ohswa.org. There are items that CAN be recycled locally but CAN'T be placed in your curbside bins. For example, a toy plastic pool or an old computer. The Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority has launched a new online resource where all you have to do is type in an item and you will be given disposal instructions. That too can be found at ohswa.org.
The 18th annual America Recycles Day is Sunday, November 18.
http://www.wktv.com/news/Race_2_Recycle_local...rage_.html
For part 2 of "Race 2 Recycle" click here. . .
mcp-media.s3.amazonaws.com/captures/5A6/EA1/5A6EA1F2ED574EBDB6D7AC5AA1B85A8C.mp4
- See more at: http://www.wktv.com/news/Race_2_Recycle_local...4STnu.dpuf
