Your Questions About Recycling

The Expert answers:

It seems safe to say that the media can, as so often, be accused of distortion. I’m assuming that the report was to highlight the need to recycle and avoid dumping in landfill sites.

Whilst I wholehearedly agree with the principle I do wish the mdia would be more realistic. How many houses have you seen yourself that have 22 black bags outside them on bin-day. I think 3 or 4 bags per household per week would be more realistic.

Just looked up the figures from Defra and each person produces 517kg of waste per year of which 113kg is recycled and the remaining 404kg is not recycled – a little over 20% recycling rate. Although it’s not a lot we’re moving in the right direction and the amount of waste recycled has approximately quadrupled in the last 10 years.

Seems that GMTV have exaggerated the figures or specifically chosen what must be two of the most wasteful families in the country.

Http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/waste/kf/index.htm

The Expert answers:

Depends on if you can re-sample, which means – can the 2 men be recycled? If you select one man for a committee, can you then use that same man in another committee?

The Expert answers:

How about talking about how many trees we have to chop down every year for paper products. And how long it takes for the trees to grow. Statistics often get people’s attention.

The Expert answers:

From The Keep America Beautiful organization:

7 top sources of litter are:

1-Pedestrians or cyclists who do not use receptacles.

2-Motorists who do not use car ashtrays or litter bags.

3-Business dumpsters that are improperly covered.

4-Loading docks and commercial or recreational marinas with inadequate waste receptacles.

5-Construction and demolition sites without tarps and receptacles to contain debris and waste.

6-Trucks with uncovered loads on local roads and highways.

7-Household trash scattered before or during collection

Cigarette butts are the most littered item in America.

“According to public works officials, Virginia Beach exceeded its budget to clean storm drains by more than $3 million – and cigarette butts were a significant component in these costs.”¹

During the Ocean Conservancy’s 2006 Annual International Coastal Cleanup, U.S. Communities reported that cigarette butts were the most littered item on roadways, beaches, and sidewalks-representing 35% of items collected.

A 2006 New South Wales Australia litter survey of over 100 sites found that cigarette butts and related items comprised 59.5% of all litter items-up from 55.4% in 2004.

A cigarette butt dropped to the ground seems insignificant. But follow that butt as it’s carried off by rain into storm drains and eventually to streams and rivers. It now adds up to a big impact on the places we live:

Cigarette litter creates blight. It accumulates in gutters, and outside doorways and bus shelters. Increasing amounts of litter in a business district or recreation area create a sense that no one cares, leading to more community disorder.

Cigarette butts don’t disappear. About 95% of cigarette filters are composed of cellulose acetate, a form of plastic which does not quickly degrade and can persist in the environment.¹

Filters are harmful to waterways and wildlife. About 18% of litter, traveling primarily through storm water systems, ends up in local streams, rivers, and waterways. Cigarette litter can also pose a hazard to animals and marine life when they mistake filters for food.¹

56% of debris found in the U.S. Originated from land-based activities such as picnics, festivals, sports, and days at the beach. Litter washed from streets, parking lots, and storm drains also contributed to this category of debris.¹

source and more info here:
http://www.kab.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Focus_litter_prevention

Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup™ – 2007 Results
VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers/attendees participated: 2,800,000
Volunteer hours: 7,700,000
Communities involved/events: 17,000/30,000
CLEAN-UPS
Pounds of litter & debris collected 200,000,000
Miles of roads, streets & highways cleaned: 178,000
Mile alongside railroad tracks cleaned: 1,900
Acres of parks & public lands cleaned 121,000 Miles of hiking, biking, nature trails cleaned 3,900
Playgrounds & community recreation areas cleaned: 3,300 restored, constructed
Miles of rivers, lakes & shoreline cleaned: 7,000
Underwater clean-ups conducted: 147
Acres of wetlands cleaned & improved: 2,100
Illegal dump sites cleaned: 3,500
Junk cars removed: 10,400
REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE
Pounds of clothing collected for reuse: 4,500,000
Pounds of aluminum & steel recycled: 22,400,000
Pounds of newspaper recycled: 23,000,000
Tires collected for recycling: 2,200,000
Batteries collected for recycling: 115,000
Pounds of electronics recycled: 5,300,000
Pounds of cell phones/equipment collected for recycling: 592,000
PET bottles collected for recycling 70,600,000
BEAUTIFICATION
Trees planted: 121,000
Flowers and bulbs planted: 4,500,000
Residential & commercial buildings painted
renovated, built: 2.400
Graffiti sites abated: 11,000
EDUCATION
Educational presentations/workshops: 6,500
Educational workshop attendees: 485,000
General awareness events held: 2,500

source and more info here:
http://www.kab.org/site/DocServer/Fact_Sheet_2008.pdf?docID=1241

The Expert answers:

Http://www.cleanair.org/Waste/wasteFacts.html

http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/United_States_Recycling_Statistics

http://www.greenhq.net/recycling/united-states-recycling-statistics/

The Expert answers:

Sorry no link for you but that company would be the exception, not the rule for a construction company. Frequently a separate company would d o the demolition and they get paid to do it plus make a considerable amount of money on recycling. There is frequently a lot of waste in both demolition and construction which falls by the wayside due to things getting done in a hurry.

Back in the 70s there as a great deal of environmental concern over our landfills becoming engorged with disposable diapers (gaining popularity then) SO one of the universities (forget who) did a study on landfills. They picked a community which was representative of US cites and dug it up. Lo and behold what they found was the bulk of the waste was construction materials chunks of cement, re-bar, lumber, drywall…etc etc etc AND diapers got a temporary reprieve.

Good question and there is still definitely a lot to be done in that area. I think if you did a little googling you would find that the green construction companies are heavily weighed on the side of recycling.

The Expert answers:

Heya,
I’m going to give you some links which maybe helpful to you because I think it’s easier for you to read rather than me just copy and paste and give you a huge answer to read.
I’ve but spaces at the start of some of the links as I can only give 10 max.
Aluminium can recycling facts:
http://www.recycle-more.co.uk/nav/page712.aspx
what happens when aluminium drink cans are recycled?:
http://www.recycle-more.co.uk/nav/page710.aspx
The aluminium can recycling loop
Stage 1: Collection
Stage 2: Recycling
Stage 3: Rolling
Stage 4: Can Making
Stage 5: Filling
Stage 6: Selling
http://www.recycle-more.co.uk/nav/page711.aspx
Aluminium Contacts:
http://www.recycle-more.co.uk/nav/page705.aspx
How much Aluminium is produced each year:
24 million tonnes of aluminium is produced annually, 51,000 tonnes of which ends up as packaging in the UK. Http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ahQGNydSyrQJ:www.recycling-guide.org.uk/facts.html+aluminium+produced+each+year+statistics&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091003055752AAjeAp1
We use over 80,000,000,000 aluminum soda cans every year. Http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:cwblnTNTO8kJ:www.recycling-revolution.com/recycling-facts.html+aluminium+produced+each+year+statistics&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk
Process:
http://www.rocksandminerals.com/aluminum/process.htm
Recycling Metals:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:OJecMV7tO9wJ:www.wasteonline.org.uk/resources/InformationSheets/metals.htm+how+much+aluminium+is+produced+each+year&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk
Other (see metals and aluminium cans near bottom of page):
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:8U5LsB14El8J:www.oberlin.edu/recycle/facts.html+aluminium+is+produced+each+year&cd=8&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk
How are Aluminium cans recycled:
http:// www.wisegeek.com/how-are-aluminum-cans-recycled.htm
http:// earth911.com/recycling/metal/aluminum-can/how-is-an-aluminum-can-recycled/
Video: http:// www.ehow.com/video_5113358_aluminum-recycled_.html
Why is it important to recycle aluminium:
http:// www.ehow.com/about_6466706_important-recycle-aluminum_.html
http:// uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081119095722AAn2zd4
http:// www.care2.com/greenliving/recycle-most-important-thing.html
http:// myzerowaste.com/articles/food/why-recycle-tins-and-cans/
http://www. Livestrong.com/article/130738-important-recycle-much-aluminum-possible/
Statistics:
http://www. Recycling-guide.org.uk/facts.html
http://www. Ehow.com/facts_7257135_recycling-statistics-aluminum.html
http://www. Reuters.com/article/idUSLM8880520090722
http://www. Nationmaster.com/graph/eco_wor_tra_exp_alu_ore_con_etc-exports-aluminium-ores-concs-etc
http://www. Nationmaster.com/graph/eco_wor_tra_exp_alu-economy-world-trade-exports-aluminium

Good luck with the article,
Hope this helps =)

The Expert answers:

In many of the poorer countries there is almost nothing in the way organised recycling facilities. However, the abject poverty means that waste dumps are scoured by people looking for anything that can be recovered and sold on.

In this respect plastics, metals and glass are pulled by hand, often by children, from the garbage dumps. It’s something I’ve observed first-hand and it’s a truly hideous sight. With little controls in place these garbage dumps can contain anything – dangerous chemicals, human body parts, toxins etc. Often to recover the metal parts from appliances and wiring the material is burned resulting in clouds of toxic smoke that the workers live and breathe all day long. Thousands of people live on the garbage dumps, that’s where they’re born and it’s where they die.

Here’s a typical scene: http://image.guim.co.uk/Guardian/theobserver/gallery/2008/mar/20/climatechange.carbonemissions/GD6551928@ENVGALLERY-A-girl-car-7348.jpg
And here’s a page with several photos: http://www.uncoached.com/2011/09/02/maputo-garbage-dump-in-africa/

One problem in answering your specific question is that the authorities in many developing countries don’t publish statistics on waste management and recycling, usually because such facilities are minimal. You could pick almost any country in central or Sub-Saharan Africa and the level or organised recycling will be virtually nil.

With no waste collection facilities, in many parts of these countries people simply dump their refuse in water courses where it degrades and breeds diseases and disease vectors such as mosquitoes. In the typically hot climate the stench of decay is almost unbearable at times.

Countries that have little or no official recycling facilities are listed below, with the exception of Pakistan and Yemen, they’re all in Africa. Some of the countries have limited facilities but the infrastructure supporting them isn’t working.

Angola
Benin
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Chad
Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo
Djibouti
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Guinea-Bissau
Ivory Coast
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mozambique
Niger
Nigeria
Pakistan
Rwanda
Senegal
Sierra Leona
Somaliland
Somalia
Tanzania
Togo
Uganda
Yemen
Zambia
Zanzibar
Zimbabwe

The Expert answers:

There’s a link at the bottom of this link that might be helpful:

http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/United_States_Recycling_Statistics