The Expert answers:

Look in the phone book under scrap metal or recycling. You don’t have to remove the tab on top. Here in NE Ohio I get $.60 a pound. If you have several choices of places to go to call and ask how much they are paying some will pay more than others.

The Expert answers:

Check out this recycling guide for a local dropoff site that is not a supermarket.

Http://www.nrdc.org/cities/recycling/gnyc.asp?gclid=CPH0lt_35o4CFQPrYgodTRBZDQ

The Expert answers:

Aluminum cans, plastic water/soda bottles, and glass beer/soda bottles can be recycled and you can turn them in to a recycycling place for cash.

Here is a website that tells you what is and what is not acceptable to recycle. It says not to recycle napkins and paper towels. Carboard pasta boxes are fine.

Http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/Recycle/RecycleList.asp

The Expert answers:

Out side the cub food there is bin for plastic and can.or from yellow pages . Go recycle.

The Expert answers:

One good perk to recycling cans is that if you take them to a junk yard they’ll give you cash for them, and those materials can be cleaned and re-used again.
Then, less of our resources are spent on producing new aluminum cans because we’re re-using them.
It also will keep those used materials out of our garbage dumps and cut back on pollution.

Bsesides, doesn’t it make you feel better?

The Expert answers:

As long as the can or bottle has the Ma on the side by the bar code.
Not all states charge deposits

The Expert answers:

I think it’s not very much in Illinois. Metal prices are way down in the stock market. I am pretty sure it is at least semi-illegal but you can take them to Michigan and get 10 cent deposit per can from retailers of that beverage. That is probably the only way to make any money on cans unless you have hundreds of pounds.

The Expert answers:

Call up these places:

1) Federal Metals Co Inc

Family Owned Business Since 1959. One Of The Oldest and Largest Scrap Metal Recycling Company In South FL. All Customers Are Paid Cash On The Spot.
2782 Northwest North River Drive, Miami, FL 33142 ( (305) 633-9054 )

2) Dade Scrap Iron & Metal Inc

2770 Northwest 32nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33142 ( phone: (305) 634-5865
Phone: (305) 634-5865
fax: (305) 638-9660

The Expert answers:

Hi there,

I agree if you are going to recycle, why not get paid for it?

I ran a search for you on earth911.org for “cans” in Summerline, Nevada and came up with the results below. Browse your options, I’m sure one of them will pay. If not, why don’t you just hang on to them if you can? Recycling is becoming more and more mainstream each day. If no one in your area will pay for them today, there are sure to be vendors willing to pay in the future, and for a premium I might add. Scrap metal prices are going through the roof!

Best regards,

JL

The Expert answers:

Recycler is the name of the Recycle Bin Folder
in each partition…………….so you don’t remove it

This folder contains a Recycle Bin directory for each registered user on the computer, sorted by their security identifier Inside the Recycler folder you will find an image of the recycle bin with a name that includes a long number with dashes (S-1-5-21-1417001333-920026266-725345543-1003). This is used to identify the user that deleted the files. Once the recycle bins are empty, the legitimiate directories should be empty as well.

Even after emptying the Recycler bin or cleaning it with CCleaner/ATFCleaner, the Recycler folder will still contain a “Recycle Bin” for each user that logs on to the computer, sorted by their security SID.

The Expert answers:

RECYCLER virus = worm.

Try:

http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/

http://experi3nc3.wordpress.com/2007/05/10/flash-disinfector-by-subs/

http://www.precisesecurity.com/tools-resources/adware-tools/flash-disinfector/

The Expert answers:

No, but it may contain virus infected files.

The Recycler folder is a specialized system folder that is linked to the Recycle Bin on your desktop. If you delete it, you will lose the Recycle Bin and the ability to recover deleted files on your machine.

The Expert answers:

Easy!…first of all..go to RUN and enter (without the quotation marks) “msconfig” and click BOOT and choose SAFE MODE..click APPLY then close it and it will restart..thengo to this path…C:/WINDOWS/System32 and scroll down, you should see Recycler as an application..and then right click on it and click DELETE..you will have no recycling bin, which doesn’t matter anyway, and then go to msconfig like before but this time click NORMAL BOOT..and restart again..your problem will be fixed.

The Expert answers:

The Recycler folder is not a virus.. Its a system folder created by windows on the NTFS partitions..

RECYCLER is basically a location where a user’s deleted files are stored.. After a user empties their Recycle Bin the data will stay in the RECYCLER location.. This could be viewed as a kind of hidden back-up for deleted files (99.9% of users don’t know about it) or back door to track a user if ever needed.. I would imagine its purpose is in the event a user deleted a critical system file that needed to be recovered..

The Recycler folder is used only on NTFS partitions. The Recycler folder contains a Recycle Bin for each user that logs on to the computer, sorted by their security identifier (SID)..
Pls check the links below..

For autorun.exe, scan with a good updated antivirus..

The Expert answers:

RECYCLER virus comes with autorun.

Formatting won’t remove autorun.

Autorun is hidden.

Try flash disinfector:

http://www.precisesecurity.com/tools-resources/adware-tools/flash-disinfector/

When this program ask you to put in your USB stick; this when you connect your phone or memory card.

Then do a scan with Nod.

The Expert answers:

These days if one little component in an electrical appliance breaks, you throw away the whole appliance. It doesn’t mean that all the components are broken. It’s a big waste and it’s also bad for the environment.

Electronic recycler would reclaim working electronic components, refurbish, test them and resell them. They would use typical hand tools, probably various types of desoldering tools.

The Expert answers:

You got the recycler virus

google recycler virus and look for a fix

The Expert answers:

If you’re running Windows XP and those folders appear in the root of your C: drive (C:), it may well not be malware, but your Windows recycle bin. Try this:

1. In Windows Explorer, locate the Recycler folder and open it.
2. If there’s a folder with a recycle bin icon next to it and a name starting something like S-1-5-21-….. Then that’s your recycle bin and you needn’t worry.
3. To check one step further, double-click that S-1-5-21 folder and you should see your recycle files.

By the way, the regeneration of the folder is a feature of Windows.

Hope that helps.

The Expert answers:

I have for years, i am constantly taking cans, glass, plastic, containers out of the trash that my family keeps throwing in there, i keep telling them leave it on the kitchen counter or in the sink and i will take care of it, feel guilty if i don’t, and its easy.

The Expert answers:

Plastic bags and containers take years and years to degrade and they release toxins into the soil when they do. Kind of like the toxins that are released into your food when you heat your lunch in plastic.

It just makes sense to use the least amount of plastic that you can so we don’t have so much of it leaching toxins in our dumps. Reduce, reuse and recycle makes an awful lot of sense to me.

The Expert answers:

According to the Stillwater Recycling Guide, you can recycle glass containers and plastic milk jugs at the HEW Waste Systems.

For plastic containers – make sure that you rinse them, separate by color (clear, brown, green), and don’t include lids or caps.

For plastic milk jugs – there should be a #1 or #2 on the bottom of the container. Rinse and collapse it and don’t include lids or caps.

Here is the address and phone number for HEW Waste Systems:

2417 N Marine Rd
Stillwater, OK 74075
(405)377-3880

Happy Recycling!

The Expert answers:

You will have to check with your specific recycle center, but most won’t take them.

Something you may want to consider if you buy a lot of take out. To reduce waste bring your own containers. I love the tiffin dishes. Or at least check the bag and give the restaurant back their plastic ware before you leave.

The Expert answers:

We should cut down even though we are recycling these things because energy goes into processing them. It’s not as simple as putting an old bag into the factory and getting a new bag out. For instance, with containers it takes gas in a truck to bring materials to a processing center (polluting air along the way); water and energy to convert containers into usable forms (with the addition of chemicals that may have released pollutants while being made themselves); more gas to transport to a manufacturing plant; and the re-manufacturing of the raw plastic/glass/metal into new containers again releases pollutants and uses energy.

While it’s a good thing to recycle, if we reduce the amount of waste we produce by reusing things a few times before recycling them and by using cloth bags where we can, we reduce the amount that needs to be processed. This in turn leads to a reduction in pollutants and the energy use associated with processing.

In short, reducing the things we recycle reduces the energy and resources it takes to recycle.

The Expert answers:

A lot of time it just comes down to rebellion. HAH! Most states regulate recycling and people think it is dumb to recycle. They are being MADE to do it and as such it’s just another non-freedom that they can stand against. It’s time consuming and they don’t want to take time out and the biggest issue is lack of educations about recycling and the law governing recycling. The public doesn’t see the + to it. As sad as it is it starts in school. In NJ 80% of the schools were NOT recycling or doing very little recycling. (76% don’t recycle even paper!!!) Even many colleges don’t even encourage recycling. They don’t allott budget money for it and they don’t encourage it. Then they make the excuse that no one will recycle so why waste the money on containers. If the older generation doesn’t agree and doesn’t push it, then the younger generation only can learn so much through demonstration and can only do so much given the resources. It seem that the older generations don’t see the point and the younger generations are making a stand now. I’m sure in the next 10 years things will turn around. We just have to be that person to encourage it.

~We must be the Change we wish to see in the World~
Ghandi

The Expert answers:

First, save yourself some money on the potting soil, unless you have no problem wasting that kind of money to fill that many containers for no particular reason. Tomatoes have taproots but they go down any which way they can get there. I’ve grown good size grape tomatoes (which are indeterminates) in soil no deeper than 4 inches deep. And, oddly enough (it was an accident, but I can’t kill plants I was planning on growing anyway, even if it over crowds them. Too many years of not being able to grow anything to adjust my mind to I can grow anything now. Lol) I ended up growing three tomatoes (one was a patio) in that same container and it was only 18 inches long. (The patio suffered.) So, if you want to save money, start saving your recyclables to put in the over-sized containers you bought. We drink a good amount of canned soda, so we put the cans upside down in the bottom. (Upside down so water doesn’t fester in them and cause unhealthy organisms in the soil.) When we run out of soda cans, we also used soda bottles, and other containers that would have otherwise gone in the recycle-trash. They fill up the unneeded spaces. (And, yes, I have a couple of your size nursery containers, so I have an idea how deep and wide they are.)

Second, yeah two per container for typical size tomatoes. You might (probably) can put in three determinates in one container. Technically, you can put three indeterminates in one container and they’ll do fine, but that’s the problem. You have yet to figure out how much trouble you’re in for this plan. Ever see a movie set in the thickest parts of the jungle, where a machete is needed step-by-step? That’s what you’re setting yourself up for if you put three in. They’ll grow. They’ll grow so full you can’t reach in to get the tomatoes when they’re ready. (More frustrating is squirrels can get to them. Lol)

Third, are you NUTS? 40+ tomato plants in one season? Lol My dad grew 16, in the ground, and that was enough tomatoes to eat tomatoes every single frigging night from July 4th until first frost, PLUS have enough to can a couple of bushels somewhere along the way. There were two adults, and 3-4 love-to-eat kids in my family. It wasn’t like we were against eating them every night, and I’m still growing them, so it’s not like I’m still against it, but what are you going to do with that many tomatoes? AND, exactly where are you putting all those containers? You do know you need lots of walking space in between each container right? It’s not like tomatoes are mannerly produce that understand they’re supposed to live within the invisible lines along the sides of the containers. It’s not like they know they aren’t supposed to still grow 8-10 feet high even in containers (and you’ve already started at 2 feet high, so it’s really 10-12 feet high.) If you can’t spread all those containers out in such a way that you can stick 6 same-size containers around each one, you’re going to need that machete just to walk through your yard.

So, you started gardening this year, and want to up how much you want to do next year. Cool. Do you know what you’re getting yourself into? Unless you plan on becoming a tomato farmer, I think you’ve over done. If you were planning on being a tomato farmer, you wouldn’t be using containers.

The Expert answers:

Recycle almost anything, one said cannot recycle thin plastic bags, though you can reuse as bin liners for waste then throw in bulk bin. All metalriferous products, plastic bottles , newspapers, phone books old cars, old bikes, old computers or any electronic device. People need to be less greedy and have less waste. When I was young; flour, sugar, washing powder came in bulk containers at shop and they would put in your container. Before the new age wasteful society came into existence. Also no one had air-conditioning in cars or home. Maybe that is why they never had global warming, how many units of energy are used daily by air-con in buildings and cars over the whole earth. How many cubic meters of soil and waste are washed into the seas/oceans in 1yr by all the countries of the world. Maybe that is why water level rising???????

The Expert answers:

Well, the golden rule is Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

The first thing to do is to buy less stuff! All stuff comes with packaging and that’s not the half of it… It generated a huge amount of waste before it ever got to you! Try buying in bulk at the grocery store and bringing your own containers. At most stores you just bring your container to the customer service counter so they can weigh it for you before you fill it with bulk foods.

Don’t throw away anything that could be used either by you or by somebody else. Take things to a thrift store.

Recycle whatever is recyclable, and compost everything that can be composted!

I’m on a mission to create less than 100 gallons of garbage this year. I’m nearly 6 months in so far and I’d say I’m right on track. Here’s a link with more suggestions as well as details about my garbage challenge: http://www.greeniacdigest.com/the-great-garbage-challenge-of-2010-part-2/2010/05/19/

You might also want to check out the Clean Bin Project… It’s a blog done by a couple who have produced virtually no garbage in a year: http://cleanbinproject.com/

Good luck!

The Expert answers:

Recycling makes me feel good. I feel like I am helping save the planet. It helps that I can recycle plastic, alumnum and glass on a weekly basis. I also take my paper, cardboard and newspaper to the local recycling center every 2 weeks or so. It’s interesting how many items are made from recycled materials.

The Expert answers:

1 We absolutely do recycle.
#2. Our county and state (NY) has hundreds of convenient major recycling facilities which take major appliances, tires, garbage paper and plastic. Cornell University sponsors free bi-annual pesticide, paint, antifreeze, glass, batteries, tires and all light bulbs.

The local Cornell Extension office gives out free vouchers to people who want to get rid of old computers, TVs VCR’s or any electronic equipment. I’ve learned that the disposable facility for electronics actually forwards old computer monitors to another company that refurbishes them into Television sets for third world countries.

The county has a motor oil disposal tank. Supposedly, if any individual store sells motor oil they must furnish a disposal tank.
#3.We do have recycling and we use it.
#4. We have the resources to recycle everything so it comes natural. Why let crap stack up!
#5. Fortunately NY has a .05 cent soda and beer bottle and can return policy. It’s something every state should look at.

Recycling is hammered into every-bodies head and is very well advertised in papers, radio and TV.

The Expert answers:

Most of what you recycle gets put back in with the regular waste at a transfer point, dump, or trash co-generation plant. So it actually is a negative effect, because you have special trucks that drive around all day to pick up special trash, that gets put back in with regular trash.

I worked as Environmental Manager, and have been at these dumps and seen this happen. It is not a secret either. Here is a report from Princeton that says, recyling uses more energy than it save, and the study was done in NJ. NJ has a very high concentration of people that would optimize the chances of making recycling pay off.

“recycling measures neither conserve scarce resources nor help to protect the environment. Because New Jersey’s household recycling law is one of the most comprehensive in the nation, it is a salutary example of the follies of mandatory recycling.”
http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-202.html

The Expert answers:

Recycling is not a scam but is not sometimes a good thing like recycling glass is bad for the enviroment. It takes to much time and energy.

The Expert answers:

Commercial paper recycling programs amount to about 80% of all paper recycled today. Businesses of just about any size now have paper recycling containers throughout their buildings for their employees to put their used paper into. When visiting a business today you will often find a recycling container for white paper and another for colored. The different papers need to be separated for recycling of paper. Newspaper can also be recycled and requires its own paper recycling container.

Once the paper recycling containers are full they are generally hauled off by the local waste disposal company and taken to a paper recycling plant for processing.

There are many ways that you, as an individual, can support the paper recycling process. The easiest is to put your used paper into your kitchen garbage recycling containers. From there you can dump them into your compost pile and the paper will break-down into soil, just as normal household kitchen garbage will.
Another way you can support paper recycling is to purchase recycled paper cards and recycled paper checks along with your recycled paper for your copier .
By using recycled paper products you are helping to support paper recycling in your area, and helping to eliminate trees being cut from the forests to make paper.

Next time you visit your local grocery market be sure to notice whether or not they are using recycled paper shopping bags. If they are they make a nice change from using the usual plastic ones made from petroleum products.

When you shop be on the lookout for recycled paper products such as recycled toilet paper, recycled tissue and recycled paper towels. By supporting the companies who make these products you are supporting paper recycling.

The Expert answers:

For every ton of paper that is recycled, 17 trees live. You can recycle most paper, including white office paper, newspaper and mixed-color paper, through a local curbside recycling program

Instructions

1 Check with your county department of public works to find out about local curbside recycling programs and community drop-off centers, or look under “Recycling” in the yellow pages. Also call 1 (800) CLEANUP for state recycling information.

2 Separate paper into three groups: white office paper, newspaper, and mixed-color paper. Most curbside programs will collect it this way.

3 Recycle all white office paper (usually from laser printers or copiers) together. Be sure to remove the wrappers they come in. These are a lower grade of paper and cannot be recycled with the white office paper and should be recycled with mixed-color paper.

4 Take newspapers, and place them in brown bags, which can be recycled with newspapers, or tie them in bundles with twine (a natural fiber). Colored advertising inserts can also be recycled with newspapers. Be sure to remove rubber bands, plastic and anything that is not paper.

5 Place all mixed-color paper together. This includes anything from magazines to junk mail. Staples do not need to be removed. Remove all plastic stickers, membership cards and anything that is not paper.
🙂

The Expert answers:

Recycling isn’t important to us, just those suckers in the future.

The Expert answers:

1. Enough to recycle all the paper I use.
2. Every day.
3. Because they know it’s the right thing to do and it saves trees.
4. I try to buy only recycled paper.
5. It differs from day to day but I always recycle.
6. We have a local transfer station where we can recycle paper, glass, plastics, metal, etc.
7. This is available 5 days a week.
8. Yes.
9. Absolutely.
10. Sure. The more folks who recycle, the fewer trees need to be cut down.

The Expert answers:

Recycling needs additional faciitly and labour cost to start up. Some cities may not have adequate fundings or have to increase property taxes for residents.

It’s hard of individuals to recycle because they might not have the space to have a separate container in their house, and they don’t want to bother sorting out different materials for recycling.

The Expert answers:

U can recycle aluminum cans, glass bottles, newspapers, scrap metal, and theres more but i cant think of it rite now. Idk bout any kind of paper; u mite want 2 ask ur local recycling center. U can basically recycle anything that is reusable.

The Expert answers:

You should also keep a seperate box to keep organic wastes in… Put inside banana peels, fruit wastes, vegetable wastes, coffee wastes, old flowers, and any other organic trash you find. Then instead of disposing of it use it as compost for your garden. Your plants and flours will thrive and it will be great for the enviornment. You can also recycle plastic bottles

Here is a list:

Batteries—Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation, Battery Drop-off Locator. Nonrechargeable batteries of sizes AAA, AA, C, D, button cell, 9 Volt, and all other batteries. Http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/WPIE/Batteries/

Beverage Containers—Can be recycled and be back on the shelf in about 90 days. Http://www.bottlesandcans.com/

Demolition Debris—The Construction and Demolition Debris Recyclers Database lists places where you can bring demolition debris, such as when you remodel your house, for recycling.

Electronics—E-waste is a popular, informal name for electronic products nearing the end of their “useful life.” Computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, and fax machines are common electronic products. Many of these products can be reused, refurbished, or recycled. Please note that televisions and cathode ray tube (CRT) computer monitors should not be placed in the household trash. Http://www.erecycle.org/

Hazardous Waste—Household hazardous waste that must be recycled or disposed at household hazardous waste collection facilities or other authorized collection facilities include, acids, antifreeze, household batteries, car batteries, brake and transmission fluid, household cleaners, pool chemicals, gasoline and other flammables, mercury thermometers, motor oil, oil-based or latex paint, paint thinners, pesticides and herbicides, barbecue style propane tanks, solvents.

Fluorescent lamps and tubes can be taken to household hazardous waste collection facilities.

Home-generated medical waste, such as pharmaceuticals and syringes might be accepted at your household hazardous waste facility.

Other Hazardous Waste disposal and recycling locations can be found at Earth 911. If this option does not work, ask your local contact for waste prevention and recycling.
Metal

Steel and Aluminum Cans—Beverage cans, food cans, aerosol cans.
Clean Aluminum Food Packaging—Pie plates, dinner trays, foil.
Motor Oil

Paper—Newspaper, magazines, catalogs, phone books, bulk mail, junk mail, office paper, computer paper, envelopes, gift wrapping paper, cardboard, food boxes, shoeboxes, paper towel and toilet paper tubes, paper egg cartons.

Plastic—Plastic that bears the 1 or 2 plastic resin codes, also called SPI codes. SPI stands for Society of the Plastics Industry.

Recycle on Your Own
Food Waste—When we count only the uneaten portions of meals and waste from food preparation, such as trimming produce, Americans throw away 163 pounds of food per person per year.

Compost—To learn how to compost, see the CIWMB home composting page or contact your city or county government. If you prefer to compost in a bin instead of an open pile, or if compost bins are required in you community, see the CIWMB compost bin resource list.

Vermicomposting—Get a worm bin and some worms and practice vermicomposting. Download The Worm Guide to read all you need to know about starting a small worm bin.

Yard Waste—Leaves and grass account for about 8 percent of the waste discarded to landfills in California. But in a landfill they generate significantly more greenhouse gas than they would in compost piles or bins.

Grasscycle—What could be easier? Set your mower to cut a little long, and leave the clippings on the lawn. No bags to empty when you mow, reduce the water needed on your lawn, reduce the need to fertilize and thereby reduce toxic runoff to creeks and lakes via the storm drains. Alternately, compost your grass clippings or use them as mulch directly from the lawn mower bag, and be miserly with your watering and fertilizing.

The Expert answers:

Our Council does not recycle anything. We are happy if they come to collect the garbage. But then this is the land of the unexpected.

Most stuff in my home is recycled including much of what the home is built of.

But I guess 90% of domestic waste in industrialized countries is recyclable, but as to the level of recycling and the ease with which you can achieve it that depends on your initiative, determination and just who is your council.

Level: use again as is, or with just a clean up, as in reusable glass bottles, or furniture.
Use to make same quality product; as in recycling of Polycarbonate drink bottles/aluminium cans.
Use to make inferior product; paper recycled to make cardboard [there is a degradation to continually poorer quality fibers]
used to make alternative product; food scraps to compost.

Some you can do, some you get the council to do, some you take to recycle bins.

The Expert answers:

Yes we can do that.
The plastic bag recycling ordinance requires businesses that provide plastic bags to customers to do the following:

1. Print or display on every plastic carryout bag: (i) “Please Reuse Or Recycle At Participating Store” using letters at least ½ inch in height; or (ii) a similar message encouraging the reuse or recycling of plastic carryout bags that is no less than 1 inch in height and uses letters at least ¼ inch in height;

2. Provide a bin for the collection of plastic bags and other film plastic that is visible and easily accessible to customers;

3. Make reusable bags available at or near where plastic carryout bags are dispensed. Reusable means (1) a bag made of cloth or other machine washable fabric with handles or (2) a durable plastic bag with handles that is at least 1.15 mils thick and specifically designed and manufactured for multiple reuse;

4. Recycle or reuse any plastic bags collected;

5. Submit an annual report to the Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection (BACP) each year providing the weight, location and cost for recycling the plastic bags.
🙂

The Expert answers:

You can recycle just about anything, if its not recycled it can be reused! One mans trash is another mans treasure.

If you want to get rid of old cell phones, computers or LCD monitors you can try this site

http://www.bzzagent.com//p/7710536943/DisneyKrayzie

They even give you a visa gift card for your old stuff if it works, I got $15 for an old Nokia 3590 cell phone it sure beats dropping them off ina recylcle bin for free.

The Expert answers:

After memorizing the plastic code letters & numbers, I noticed a pattern. This became my guide to figure out what kind of plastic something is even without any code markings. They are in order that are easiest to understand. At the end you’ll see why:

1) PE or PETE are transparent, somewhat rigid, but often thin enough to bend & make a crease. Nowadays it’s tricky to tell it’s #1 cause they are often colored, but if you can see right through them & it has a smooth surface it’s probably #1. Think bottled water.

2) HDPE are NOT transparent. They are often hard, but flexible & almost always have outer surfaces that are rough. Think shampoo bottles. Thinner versions may be translucent, like cereal box liners.

4) LDPE are very flexible. They can be clear or most often they are colored. Thin ones include grocery bags while thicker ones include the lids on your Rubbermaid.

5) PP are also hard, but flexible. BUT unlike #2s, they can be transparent though they are often colored. Think Rubbermaid bowls (sometimes the lids) & Tupperware just about everything.

6) PS are rigid & often brittle. In rigid form they are almost always clear & transparent. We call softer versions styrofoam, which are usually white. These are your disposable coffee cups, cooler linings, popcorn or molded packing material. With any #6 plastic they will break or show damage when flexed. You might have guessed that #6 are good insulators. Rigid & clear #6s are often in the form of containers that store food, even if it is hot.

3) PV or PVC are rigid, have smooth surfaces inside & out, & are colored (not transparent). They often have a strange chemical smell that seems to never go away. When they get old they can become very brittle & break. This is accelerated when exposed to the sun. You will usually see them as pipes, but I once received a drink container as a present in the shape of a football that was made of PVC. It was thin, flexible & clear. Though it did have a label, the telltale sign that it was PVC was its smell. You don’t want to drink something from this.

7) PC come in many shapes & forms. They are often labeled as “Other” because there are so many different kinds. I find them most often to be hard, rigid, & resistant to breakage. The surface is usually smooth, though they may sometimes be textured. They may be clear or come in different colors. They are made for several purposes including reusable containers for coffee makers because of their high heat tolerance & durability. Many “microwave safe” containers & trays that are rigid & smooth are made from this. Manufacturers often market them as “unbreakable,” which is why plastic baby bottles are made from #7 plastic.

So why you might ask did I put the list in this order? 1, 2, 4, & 5 are the easiest to recycle & are considered “safer plastics.” The others are not so easily recycled. Though slightly off topic, if you or other readers are concerned about BPA chemical exposure, 2, 4, & 5 are made without BPA. 1, 3, 6, & 7 are. It’s ok to use 1, but it’s not ok to reuse them because over time they will break down & leach BPA into what ever you are drinking. Basically if you smell some kind of chemical coming from your plastic or drink & eat something that tastes like chemical, you should stop using it & recycle it. Even without a label, you can use my guidelines to help you sort them out correctly.

The Expert answers:

Paper:
can auntie anne’s cups be recycled? Probably not

can memo pad paper that’s been wrote on be recycled? Yes

can I throw little bits of paper in my recycling box to be recycled or do they have to be whole? The paper gets shredded by the recyclers so little bits are fine.

Can magazine inserts about subscribing to the mag be recycled?yes and so can the mag in a lot of areas.

Plastic:
can the tops of plastic containers be recycled?Depends on the area some yes some no.

What are some other things that can and cannot be recycled?metal cans

You should check with you local recycling facility. They will have a list of what they take.

The Expert answers:

I don’t think public humiliation is a productive way to encourage recycling. Many people jump on the bandwagon without any research. Each city or municipal dump has it’s own way of handling waste, some are better than others. My city has a huge facility that uses both manual and mechanical methods to recycle, so we are able to divert over 60% of what goes into the garbage cans to recycling with no effort by home owners or business. It’s true that presorting and taking paper in particular to a recycling facility will mean it will have more recycling options, since it won’t be contaminated by food etc. Over all we are recycling more and for those of us who want to do more or are just in the habit we have recycle facilities.

It is always a good idea to contact the facility that will be receiving your recyclable to see what they take and if there are any things that must be done, labels or lids removed etc. If your city doesn’t have a sorting program it’s would be a good idea to participate in whatever program is available, which also means finding out what the program includes. Some cities will throw away a whole truck worth of recycling if there are too many unwanted items in it. Do a little research and post the acceptable items near the bins and try to do your part.

The Expert answers:

There are several things that can be recycled.
Of the 9 types of plastic 8 can be recycled, only number 9 can not.
Paper, glass and metal can also be recycled.
Now if you are attempting to find out what can be recycled in your area.
You would want to contact either recycling centers, waste disposal or your city government.

The Expert answers:

Recycling neds to be a circle. One of the problems is getting people to buy the recycled goods.. Another economic problem is finding a market for the collected recycled materials.
Collection is a problem if there is no pick up in the community.
Storage is a problem sometimes. The people that chop up and meltdown the recycled materials do not care if there is a little food on them. Unfortunately for storage, there is an insect and rodent problem if there is food present.
Education can help in the training of people to buy recycled goods. There are many new things out now that are excellent products. They need to be made aware of the importance of completing the cycle.

The Expert answers:

Complete the cycle, buy recycled.

Without the demand for recycled products recycling programs will fail.

The Expert answers:

Nitrogen is constantly being recycled in the nitrogen cycle. Here is how:

1. The atmosphere contains about 78% nitrogen gas, N2. This is very unreactive so it can’t be used directly by plants or animals.
2. Nitrogen is needed for making proteins for growth, so living organisms have to get it somehow.
3. Plants get their nitrogen from soil, so nitrogen in the air has to be turned into nitrogen compounds before plants can use it. Animals can only get proteins by eating plants or other animals.
4. Decomposers break down proteins in rotting plants and animals, and urea in animal waste, into ammonia. So the nitrogen in these organisms is recycled.
5. Nitrogen fixation is the process of turning N2 from the air into nitrogen compounds in the soil which plants can use. There are two main ways this happens:
a) Lightning- there’s so much energy in a bolt of lightning that it’s enough to make nitrogen react with oxygen in the air to give nitrates.
B) Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in roots and soil.
6) There are four different types of bacteria involved in the nitrogen cycle:
a) Decomposers- decompose proteins and urea and turn them into ammonia.
B) Nitrifying bacteria- turn ammonia in decaying matter into nitrates.
C) Nitrogen-fixing bacteria- turn atmospheric N2 into nitrogen compounds plants can use.
D) Denitrifying bacteria- turn nitrates back into N2 gas. This is of no benefit to living organisms.

The Expert answers:

You should recycle as much as possible and complete the cycle by buying recycled goods. Even more important is reduce and reuse. Avoid single use and disposable items as much as possible. I also consider the final destination of a product I’ll buy, I avoid plastics as much as possible.

A great book about the topic is Cradle to Cradle.

The Expert answers:

The recycling process of earth materials that takes place on our tectonically active planet. Igneous rocks represent melted sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. They weather to become sedimentary rocks, or undergo metamorphism to become metamorphic rocks. Sedimentary rocks undergo metamorphism and become metamorphic rocks, or are melted and become igneous rocks. They can also weather and become a new sedimentary rock. Metamorphic rocks can weather to become sedimentary rocks, or be melted and become igneous rocks.

Http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/rock.html

Without active plate tectonics the rock cycle would be severely restricted or not exist at all. On the moon there is no igneous activity other than the short instances where a meteorite impact melts rock. Weathering is slow to non-existant and largely consists of damage caused by meteorite impacts. If there is metamorphic rock on the moon, it is likely to remain in that state for a very long time. On Mars there has been a functioning active rock cycle in the past, with evidence of large volcanoes (igneous rock) and current observations of moving sand dunes (sediment). Metamorphic rocks have not been observed but probably do exist. However, because Mars and the Moon do not have active plate tectonics there are almost no processes to drive the rock cycle. Http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/MPF/science/mineralogy.html

Sand dunes on Mars:
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/space/stories/mars-sand-dunes-move-surprisingly-fast

The Expert answers:

I hope this helps: The carbon-oxygen cycle is where resperation comes from. Carbon and oxygen are independent of each other, but are very closely connected as well as interdependent on each other. Life on planet Earth continues due to the presence of organic as well as inorganic nutrients present in the nature. It is very important for these nutrients to be continuously recycled. If this doesn’t happen, all the nutritive resources in the world will get extinguished completely. No nutrients means no life on Earth. So, in order for the life cycle of every living being, unicellular or multicellular organism to sustain, recycling of the nutrients is very important. One of the important cycles is the carbon-oxygen cycle.
The Process of Carbon-Oxygen Cycle

There are four steps involved in the completion of this cycle. These methods are discussed below:

Photosynthesis
Plants undergo photosynthesis that helps them produce energy and food for themselves. During this process, plants take in carbon dioxide (CO2) and absorb water (H2O) with the help of their roots. The chlorophyll present in the leaves and the energy from the sun, helps convert CO2 and H2O into Oxygen O2, sugar and water vapor. Oxygen (O2) is released by the plants as a by-product into the atmosphere.

Formula for Photosynthesis
CO2 + H2O + Light ———-> (CH2O) + O2

The carbon dioxide from air and water from the soil in presence of light (energy) is taken by the plants and converted into carbohydrates and oxygen as by-products.

Respiration
Just as plants carry out photosynthesis, animals carry out respiration. Respiration occurs when animals take in oxygen from the air along with simple sugars from their food. This helps in release of carbon dioxide, water and energy from the animal body. During cellular respiration, animals require O2 while inhalation. When they exhale the waste product of cellular respiration, they release CO2 into the atmosphere again.

Formula for Respiration

(CH2O) + O2 ———-> CO2 + H2O + Energy

The carbohydrates taken from food like plants or carbon-based compounds along with oxygen are converted to carbon dioxide which is released into the air along with water and energy during respiration.

Combustion
It is a process of burning that occurs naturally in the nature. For example, volcanic eruptions are natural combustion processes where carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere due to burning. Nowadays, there are many environmental pollutants that cause an increase in the amount of CO2 in the air. These include cars, factories, burning of woods, coals, nuclear energy, gas, etc. This irresponsible combustion and release of excessive carbon dioxide and other harmful gases in the environment is the major contributing factor for today’s global warming.

Decomposition
After the death of any living organism, i.e., unicellular or multicellular organism, it gets decomposed. This decomposition means insects, fungi and bacteria (together called decomposers), help in breaking down the cellular components of the dead organism into its basic elements. These elements include water, calcium, nitrogen, carbon and oxygen. Thus, decomposers help in release of oxygen and carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere as their metabolic waste products.

The entire cycle can be summarized as, plants taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen during photosynthesis. This oxygen released is taken up by animals who release carbon dioxide after carrying out respiration. Thus, the recycling of carbon and oxygen in the atmosphere will continue as long as respiration and photosynthesis occur. This also proves that, to sustain life, plants are very important as they are the major contributors to the amount of oxygen present in the atmosphere. Although both cycles occur independently, they are, in a small way, interconnected to each other.

The Expert answers:

1.Carbon enters the cycle in the form of CO2. An enzyme adds each CO2 molecule to a RuBP molecule, forming three unstable six-carbon molecules. The RuBP is being recycled through the cycle (3 5Cs) and 3 CO2s are added to the RuBP (3 6Cs).
2.The three six-carbon molecules break immediately into six three-carbon molecules called 3-PGA (6 3Cs). This is because the bonds in the six carbon molecules are unstable and become stable when they are broken.
3.ATP and NADPH from the light reactions provide energy and electrons to convert the 3-PGA to G3P, the direct product of photosynthesis. Just makes them excited, does not break apart or change form.
4.Carbon exits the cycle in one molecule of G3P. Plant cells use the G3P to make glucose and other organic compounds. You need two G3P in order to make glucose or fructose. One of the 6 3Cs is taken out of the cycle.
5.Fifteen carbon atoms remain in five G3P molecules. They are recycled but still have high energy (5 3Cs)
6.ATP provides energy for enzymes to rearrange the G3P molecules to regenerate RuBP. ADP and NADP+ are returned to the light reactions. (back to 3 5Cs)

The Expert answers:

Keep the Cycle going

What’s your EARTH WORTH? Recycle.

The Expert answers:

The carbon cycle recycles all the carbon on the planet for use in biosphere and living organisms, carbon is huge in the workings of the world, if it could not be reused/recycles what would the implications be on life on earth? The water cycle has more of a climate impact which may cause changes for living organisms so you could discuss how the changes impact the world (geographically, biologically). I do not want to give you an answer but a means to trigger some direction for you to answer.

The Expert answers:

Call ur local cities recycling place or ask them where to do it like my city its called the upa its really cool they will have differant big bin for glass plastic ect..like the place i goto they have picnic tables made from used plasic makes u feel good when u see what there doing w/ the diff. Stuff.

The Expert answers:

I Will send u if u really wants to recycle WASTE PAPERS.
I don’t want to open this site.

The Expert answers:

Yes, the fuel in reactor rods is not depleted, it is more like contaminated with isotopes that adsorb neutrons. So indeed rods can be recycled and made into fuel again. If you consider the half life of the reactants, a fuel rod should be good for millions of years of useful service.

The USA had intended to do that in what was called the “breeder” reactor program. That is the reason utility company reactors were built without a provision for rod disposal. The plan was “spent” rods would be exchanged with the government for new, recycled rods. No nuclear waste would be created.

So what happened? Well the process would take a lot of energy, in fact you would need to build a reactor just to do the task. The cost of recycling a fuel rod became significantly more that the cost to make them new from scratch. Also private utilities quickly saturated the generation market, meaning no new reactors have been built in the last 50 years. The breeder program was based on servicing a much larger generation base than was ever built. So the government abandoned the project leaving private utility companies in a lurch. Had the problems with spent fuel disposal been so apparent then, they might have thought twice, but waste of resources is kind of the American way we do things.

Other countries had contracted with the USA to recycle their fuel too. So now they are stuck with having to dispose of them as waste. While this is cost efficient, it is not exactly ecological efficient. Safety is not really much of an issue, the contamination that spoils the rods for use as fuel also precludes any cataclysmic reactions in storage. All of that radioactive material was mined out of the ground originally, so it is dust to dust, so to speak.

The Expert answers:

Listen , our local council have gone totally over the top with recycling and have 5 recycling wheelie bins and a food waste ‘caddie’ for each household but don’t take into consideration single households that don’t waste so much. I share a very small garden with my neighbour and we have 10 wheelie bins in the small space and are truelly unsightly and completely taken over what space we do have , we cannot sit out in the garden for long to have a chat. The EU ‘social engineering’ is the PITS!

In the past four or five years , recycling has gone totally BONKERS. They cannot make up their minds what is recyclible and what isn’t , so what they do is introduce even more wheelie bins of different colours. What are the general public and households to do , we’ll be recycling our own shite next!!

The Expert answers:

What do you mean by non-recyclable waste? Just about everything you use can be recycled in one way or another. Plastics, metals, glass, paper, fabrics…. Everything can be recycled.

Also, you could try to reduce what you use. For example, stop using so many plastics that you don’t need. Disposable plates, forks, knives, bottled water, all of this is just waste.

The Expert answers:

Nope. Recycling (plus reusing and reducing) are still our best options – if we don’t create the waste in the first place, we wouldn’t have a problem.

As for nuclear waste in space:
Huge cost and pollution in getting it there
Huge issues about trucking the waste around the world to launch sites and….

…there is still a significant failure rate in space launches; it would only be a matter of time before a rocket goes *boom* and scatters radioactive waste all over the place!

The Expert answers:

[edit] Waste management concepts
Main article: Waste management concepts

The waste hierarchyThere are a number of concepts about waste management, which vary in their usage between countries or regions.

The waste hierarchy:

reduce
reuse
recycle
classifies waste management strategies according to their desirability. The waste hierarchy has taken many forms over the past decade, but the basic concept has remained the cornerstone of most waste minimisation strategies. The aim of the waste hierarchy is to extract the maximum practical benefits from products and to generate the minimum amount of waste.

Some waste management experts have recently incorporated a ‘fourth R’: “Re-think”, with the implied meaning that the present system may have fundamental flaws, and that a thoroughly effective system of waste management may need an entirely new way of looking at waste. Some “re-think” solutions may be counter-intuitive, such as cutting fabric patterns with slightly more “waste material” left — the now larger scraps are then used for cutting small parts of the pattern, resulting in a decrease in net waste. This type of solution is by no means limited to the clothing industry.

Source reduction involves efforts to reduce hazardous waste and other materials by modifying industrial production. Source reduction methods involve changes in manufacturing technology, raw material inputs, and product formulation. At times, the term “pollution prevention” may refer to source reduction.

Another method of source reduction is to increase incentives for recycling. Many communities in the United States are implementing variable rate pricing for waste disposal (also known as Pay As You Throw – PAYT) which has been effective in reducing the size of the municipal waste stream.

Source reduction is typically measured by efficiencies and cutbacks in waste. Toxics use reduction is a more controversial approach to source reduction that targets and measures reductions in the upstream use of toxic materials. Toxics use reduction emphasises the more preventive aspects of source reduction but, due to its emphasis on toxic chemical inputs, has been opposed more vigorously by chemical manufacturers. Toxics use reduction programs have been set up by legislation in some states, e.g., Massachusetts, New Jersey and Oregon.

[edit] Resource recovery
A relatively recent idea in waste management has been to treat the waste material as a resource to be exploited, instead of simply a challenge to be managed and disposed of. There are a number of different methods by which resources may be extracted from waste: the materials may be extracted and recycled, or the calorific content of the waste may be converted to electricity.

The process of extracting resources or value from waste is variously referred to as secondary resource recovery, recycling, and other terms. The practice of treating waste materials as a resource is becoming more common, especially in metropolitan areas where space for new landfills is becoming scarcer. There is also a growing acknowledgement that simply disposing of waste materials is unsustainable in the long term, as there is a finite supply of most raw materials.

There are a number of methods of recovering resources from waste materials, with new technologies and methods being developed continuously.

In some developing nations some resource recovery already takes place by way of manual labourers who sift through un-segregated waste to salvage material that can be sold in the recycling market. These unrecognised workers called waste pickers or rag pickers, are part of the informal sector, but play a significant role in reducing the load on the Municipalities’ Solid Waste Management departments. There is an increasing trend in recognising their contribution to the environment and there are efforts to try and integrate them into the formal waste management systems, which is proven to be both cost effective and also appears to help in urban poverty alleviation. However, the very high human cost of these activities including disease, injury and reduced life expectancy through contact with toxic or infectious materials would not be tolerated in a developed country.

[edit] Recycling
Main article: Recycling

A materials recovery facility, where different materials are separated for recycling
Recycling means to recover for other use a material that would otherwise be considered waste. The popular meaning of ‘recycling’ in most developed countries has come to refer to the widespread collection and reuse of various everyday waste materials. They are collected and sorted into common groups, so that the raw materials from these items can be used again (recycled).

In developed countries, the most common consumer items recycled include aluminium beverage cans, steel, food and aerosol cans, HDPE and PET plastic bottles, glass bottles and jars, paperboard cartons, newspapers, magazines, and cardboard. Other types of plastic (PVC, LDPE, PP, and PS: see resin identification code) are also recyclable, although not as commonly collected. These items are usually composed of a single type of material, making them relatively easy to recycle into new products.

The recycling of obsolete computers and electronic equipment is important, but more costly due to the separation and extraction problems. Much electronic waste is sent to Asia, where recovery of the gold and copper can cause environmental problems (monitors contain lead and various “heavy metals”, such as selenium and cadmium; both are commonly found in electronic items).

Recycled or used materials have to compete in the marketplace with new (virgin) materials. The cost of collecting and sorting the materials often means that they are equally or more expensive than virgin materials. This is most often the case in developed countries where industries producing the raw materials are well-established. Practices such as trash picking can reduce this value further, as choice items are removed (such as aluminium cans). In some countries, recycling programs are subsidised by deposits paid on beverage containers (see container deposit legislation).

The economics of recycling junked automobiles also depends on the scrap metal market except where recycling is mandated by legislation (as in Germany).

However, most economic systems do not account for the benefits to the environment of recycling these materials, compared with extracting virgin materials. It usually requires significantly less energy, water and other resources to recycle materials than to produce new materials [1]. For example, recycling 1000 kg of aluminum cans saves approximately 5000 kg of bauxite ore being mined (source: ALCOA Australia) and prevents the generation of 15.17 tonnes CO2eq greenhouse gases [2]; recycling steel saves about 95% of the energy used to refine virgin ore (source: U.S. Bureau of Mines).

In many areas, material for recycling is collected separately from general waste, with dedicated bins and collection vehicles. Other waste management processes recover these materials from general waste streams. This usually results in greater levels of recovery than separate collections of consumer-separated beverage containers, but are more complex and expensive.[citation needed]

[edit] Waste management techniques
Managing municipal waste, industrial waste and commercial waste has traditionally consisted of collection, followed by disposal. Depending upon the type of waste and the area, a level of processing may follow collection. This processing may be to reduce the hazard of the waste, recover material for recycling, produce energy from the waste, or reduce it in volume for more efficient disposal.

Collection methods vary widely between different countries and regions, and it would be impossible to describe them all. For example, in Australia most urban domestic households have a 240 litre (63.4 gallon) bin that is emptied weekly by the local council. Many areas, especially those in less developed areas, do not have a formal waste-collection system in place.

In Canadian urban centres curbside collection is the most common method of disposal, whereby the city collects waste, and or recyclables, and or organics on a scheduled basis from residential areas. In rural areas people dispose of their waste at transfer stations. Waste collected is then transported to a regional landfill.

Disposal methods also vary widely. In Australia, the most common method of disposal of solid waste is in landfill sites, as it is a large country with a low-density population. By contrast, in Japan it is more common for waste to be incinerated, because the country is smaller and land is scarce.

[edit] Landfill
Main article: landfill

A landfill compaction vehicle in operation
Disposing of waste in a landfill is the most traditional method of waste disposal, and it remains a common practice in most countries. Historically, landfills were often established in disused quarries, mining voids or borrow pits. A properly-designed and well-managed landfill can be a hygienic and relatively inexpensive method of disposing of waste materials in a way that minimises their impact on the local environment. Older, poorly-designed or poorly-managed landfills can create a number of adverse environmental impacts such as wind-blown litter, attraction of vermin, and generation of leachate which can pollute groundwater and surface water. Another byproduct of landfills is landfill gas (mostly composed of methane and carbon dioxide), which is produced as organic waste breaks down anaerobically. This gas can create odor problems, kill surface vegetation, and is a greenhouse gas.

Design characteristics of a modern landfill include methods to contain leachate, such as clay or plastic lining material. Disposed waste is normally compacted to increase its density and stablise the new landform, and covered to prevent attracting vermin (such as mice or rats) and reduce the amount of wind-blown litter. Many landfills also have a landfill gas extraction system installed after closure to extract the landfill gas generated by the decomposing waste materials. Gas is pumped out of the landfill using perforated pipes and flared off or burnt in a gas engine to generate electricity. Even flaring the gas is a better environmental outcome than allowing it to escape to the atmosphere, as this consumes the methane, which is a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

Many local authorities, especially in urban areas, have found it difficult to establish new landfills due to opposition from owners of adjacent land. Few people want a landfill in their local neighborhood. As a result, solid waste disposal in these areas has become more expensive as material must be transported further away for disposal (or managed by other methods).

This fact, as well as growing concern about the impacts of excessive materials consumption, has given rise to efforts to minimise the amount of waste sent to landfill in many areas. These efforts include taxing or levying waste sent to landfill, recycling the materials, converting material to energy, designing products that use less material, and legislation mandating that manufacturers become responsible for disposal costs of products or packaging (see Product Stewardship and Extended Producer Responsibility). A related subject is that of industrial ecology, where the material flows between industries is studied. The by-products of one industry may be a useful commodity to another, leading to a reduced materials waste stream.

Some futurists have speculated that landfills may one day be mined: as some resources become more scarce, they will become valuable enough that it would be economical to ‘mine’ them from landfills where these materials were previously discarded as valueless. A related idea is the establishment of a ‘monofill’ landfill containing only one waste type (e.g. Waste vehicle tyres), as a method of long-term storage.

[edit] Incineration
Main articles: Incineration and Waste-to-energy

A waste-to-energy plant in Saugus, Massachusetts, the first plant in the United States.Incineration is a waste disposal method that involves the combustion of waste at high temperatures. Incineration and other high temperature waste treatment systems are described as “thermal treatment”. In effect, incineration of waste materials converts the waste into heat, gaseous emissions, and residual solid ash. Other types of thermal treatment include pyrolysis and gasification.

A waste-to-energy plant (WtE) is a modern term for an incinerator that burns wastes in high-efficiency furnace/boilers to produce steam and/or electricity and incorporates modern air pollution control systems and continuous emissions monitors. This type of incinerator is sometimes called an energy-from-waste (EfW) facility.

Incineration is popular in countries such as Japan where land is a scarce resource, as they do not consume as such area as a landfill. Sweden has been a leader in using the energy generated from incineration over the past 20 years. Denmark also extensively uses waste-to-energy incineration in localised combined heat and power facilities supporting district heating schemes.

Incineration is carried out both on a small scale by individuals, and on a large scale by industry. It is recognised as a practical method of disposing of certain hazardous waste materials (such as biological medical waste), though it remains a controversial method of waste disposal in many places due to issues such as emission of gaseous pollutants.

[edit] Composting and anaerobic digestion
Main articles: Composting and Anaerobic digestion

An active compost heapWaste materials that are organic in nature, such as plant material, food scraps, and paper products, are increasingly being recycled. These materials are put through a composting and/or digestion system to control the biological process to decompose the organic matter and kill pathogens. The resulting stabilized organic material is then recycled as mulch or compost for agricultural or landscaping purposes.

There are a large variety of composting and digestion methods and technologies, varying in complexity from simple windrow composting of shredded plant material, to automated enclosed-vessel digestion of mixed domestic waste. These methods of biological decomposition are differentiated as being aerobic in composting methods or anaerobic in digestion methods, although hybrids of the two methods also exist.

[edit] Examples
The Green Bin Program, a form of organic recycling used in Toronto, Ontario and surrounding municipalities including Markham, Ontario, Canada, makes use of anaerobic digestion to reduce the amount of garbage shipped to Michigan, in the United States. This is the newest facet of the 3-stream waste management system has been implemented in the city and is another step towards the goal of diverting 70% of current waste away from the landfills. Green Bins allow any organic waste that in the past would have formed landfill waste to be composted and turned into nutrient rich soil. Examples of waste products for the Green Bin are food products and scraps, soiled papers and sanitary napkins. Currently Markham, like the other municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area, ships all of its waste to Michigan at a cost of $22 CAN per tonne (metric ton, 1000 kg).

The Green Bin Program is currently being studied by other Municipalities in the province of Ontario as a way of diverting waste away from the landfills. Notably, Toronto and Ottawa are in the preliminary stages of adopting a similar program.

The City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada has adopted large-scale composting to deal with its urban waste. Its composting facility is the largest of its type in the world, representing 35 per cent of Canada’s centralised composting capacity. The $100 million co-composter and various recycling programs enable Edmonton to recycle 60% of its residential waste. The co-composter itself is 38,690 square metres in size, equivalent to 8 football fields. It’s designed to process 200,000 tonnes of residential solid waste per year and 22,500 dry tonnes of biosolids, turning them into 80,000 tonnes of compost annually.

[edit] Mechanical biological treatment
Main article: mechanical biological treatment

ArrowBiowet material recovery facility, Hiriya, Tel Aviv, IsraelMechanical biological treatment (MBT) is a technology category for combinations of mechanical sorting and biological treatment of the organic fraction of municipal waste. MBT is also sometimes termed BMT- Biological Mechanical Treatment- however this simply refers to the order of processing.

The “mechanical” element is usually a bulk handling mechanical sorting stage. This either removes recyclable elements from a mixed waste stream (such as metals, plastics and glass) or processes it in a given way to produce a high calorific fuel given the term refuse derived fuel (RDF) that can be used in cement kilns or power plants. Systems which are configured to produce RDF include Herhofand Ecodeco. It is a common misconception that all MBT processes produce RDF. This is not the case. Some systems such as ArrowBio simply recover the recyclable elements of the waste in a form that can be sent for recycling.

ArrowBio UASB anaerobic digesters, Hiriya, Tel Aviv, IsraelThe “biological” element refers to either anaerobic digestion or composting. Anaerobic digestion breaks down the biodegradable component of the waste to produce biogas and soil conditioner. The biogas can be used to generate renewable energy. More advanced processes such as the ArrowBio Process enable high rates of gas and green energy production without the production of RDF. This is facilitated by processing the waste in water. Biological can also refer to a composting stage. Here the organic component is treated with aerobic microorganisms. They break down the waste into carbon dioxide and compost. There is no green energy produced by systems simply employing composting.

MBT is gaining increased recognition in countries with changing waste management markets such as the UK and Australia where WSN Environmental Solutions has taken a leading role in developing MBT plants

Regard,
Hari krishnan.A
(adhari2004@gmail.com)

The Expert answers:

Almost everything can be recycled. I don’t think that 100% of household waste is recyclable. Things like yogurt pots at the moment our local council will not take in the recycling. However I recycle as much as possible all glass, paper, cardboard, and most plastic bottles get recycled. Any food waste goes in the compost bin. So I like to think that I do as much as possible

The Expert answers:

Well here in Alabama, we are not required to recycle. When I lived in NY, we had to pay a deposit on bottle drinks, etc. And to get the money back, we had to recycle the item. I wish Alabama required that. Especially after Mardi Gras here there is trash, cans, bottles, etc. Filling the street up. Sad.

The Expert answers:

Recycling should be mandatory…and in many places it is. Main reasons that recycling should be mandatory:

1-Reduces energy needed to manufacture items (if made with recycled content).
2-Saves landfill space.
3-Provides high quality raw materials inexpensively and from local sources.

Reasons not to recycle (NOTE: I don’t agree with these):
1-Certain items (plastics, organics, fibers) have high BTU values and can provide good energy for Waste-To-Energy facilities.
2-High infrastructure cost to implement and service.

The reality is that recycling does save energy, it does provide good, high quality sources of raw materials for manufacturing and saves landfill space. One of the major ways to encourage recycling is through a “bottle bill” or deposit where you pay a small charge everytime you purchase a bottle. It is then refunded when you deposit the containers for recycling. This is the most expensive way to implement a recycling program.

Curbside recycling is a more efficient option, but again, has a high cost associated with it. Providing containers and the associated pickup service can run in very high dollar ranges if the municipality is large. However, from the commodity collection stainpoint it provides the highest amount of consistent material.

The thired option for recycling is to provide containers that residents utilize by dropping their materials off. These usually don’t provide any deposit refund, as there is no deposit paid on them in the first place. This is the “cheapest” solution but usually has the lowest participation because people need to do it themselves.

One way to encourage this is to have a local ordinance mandate in place to require that certain materials can’t be placed in the trash. There is an enforcement issue with this…but you can get participation either through fines…or that peoples trash doesn’t get picked up if there is “mandated” materials in the container that shouldn’t be there.

I hope this helps!

The Expert answers:

I don’t think so. The oils in foods contaminate the wood pulp and prevents the fibers from sticking together leaving holes in the recycled paper. This is often not detected till the finished product is inspected and found to have holes thereby scrapping the entire production run. Recycling food containers and pizza boxes is a sure way to negate any environmental and economic benefits of recycling.

The Expert answers:

Since they are probably “medical” plastic, they can probably be baked at the low temperatures required for curing polymer clay, but you’d have to check. I’m pretty sure that any part which was covered with clay would survive just fine.
(Or you could use air-dry clays or other materials.)

You might get lots of ideas for covering or decorating them from looking at similar containers which we use for embellishing with polymer clay on these pages at my site:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/covering.htm
(… Under “Plastics,” click on the subcategory
PRESCRIPTION BOTTLES, FILM CANISTERS, PVC PIPE
… Also click on MISC. PLASTIC ITEMS for a using similar things like plastic M&M tubes and dental floss containers)
….more ways to use them might also be in the ALTIOIDS category on that page)

This page has loads of inspiration for decorating small containers too… “BOH” are actually either small plastic or glass containers which have been decorated in order to give to cancer patients (they began with the plastic heparin bottles used to push the chemo drugs, as a way to turn the process into something good and so the patients could feel more in control):
http://glassattic.com/polymer/BOH.htm

HTH,

Diane B.

The Expert answers:

Tape a note to the side or bottom of the bin (so it will be seen when empty) politely asking “please place bin back next to fence” or something like that. The garbage/ recycling people normally leave my bins in the middle of my driveway so I have to get out of my car and move them before parking, I guess they are just in a hurry because there is a TON of houses to stop at.

The Expert answers:

Although I don’t think there is one that does monthly pick-up (except maybe whichever waste management company you use to pick up your trash), try this link and, hopefully, there is a free, battery recycling center near you, too: http://www.ehso.com/ehso2.php?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rbrc.org/call2recycle/dropoff/index.php , or maybe this one: http://earth911.com/recycling/hazardous/single-use-batteries/

Best of wishes

The Expert answers:

Well in theory a lot of people think that the container won’t be recycled if the cap is one because of various weird reasons. The cap and the thing that keeps it from unscrewing are usually recyclable because usually they are made from number 2 plastic. You should separate them because a lot of recycling depots will indeed discard them from what I’ve heard, so just take off the cap and put the container in the recycling. As for the cap, they usually have a recycling sign on the inside of the cap. If they don’t, chuck it in the garbage 🙂

The Expert answers:

Have you contacted your council waste disposal department ? Ours in Exeter supplys 2 different sizes of wheeled containers & 3 different sizes of lidded boxes for recycling purposes depending on how much you recycle.If we want more we just ask & they are delivered,no charges

The Expert answers:

It’s all about the energy used to make a can from scratch vs. One made from an existing can’s material.
From scratch means digging the ore, processing the ore, refining it further, sending it to those who make the aluminum into sheets, sending it to those who use the sheets to make the cans, and sending it to the co. That fills the cans and then to those that distribute the product.
Recycling an existing can uses so much less energy it is ridiculous. Melt down the old can, make into sheets, then into cans, fill ’em up and send them out. Cutting out the Digging, the Processing and the Refining means an energy savings of about 90%.

Kind of similar in regards to energy saving with plastics as well. We all use much more aluminum/tin/steel and plastics than can presently be reused/recycled into new cans and jugs given the level of technology we have now.
We also only use a small amount of recycled plastic content in our new containers. Cans can use almost 95% recyclable content.

The Expert answers:

Rinse out well and should be ok

The Expert answers:

A spray paint can is deemed as a hazardous material and must be disposed of accordingly.

However if you pierce the tin, let the paint dry you can sell the can as scrap metal.

Just make sure you use a brass pin of some kind to avoid producing a spark.

The Expert answers:

Yes of course the KEY WORD is ALUMINUM anything of this sort is easy money my grandma even puts aluminum foil from tacos she buys at taco stands very funny but where i live they actually give you money for it so stop recycling and get to making a little bit of cash instead of them making it for u

The Expert answers:

“Http://www.awca.shutterfly.com” Today’s rate was 30 cents a pound if you’ve got 100 lbs, otherwise it was 25 cents a pound at this recycling center. They’re located on Hwy 98 in Gulf Breeze one mile east of the zoo. Good people up there.

The Expert answers:

You have to check what it says on the bottle. Plus it would depend on where you live.

For example, in US it may say CRV which means ‘California redemption value’. It also says how much money you can get if you recycle it; typically it is 5c per bottle.

You can recycle and get the money at a local recycling station; again it depends on where you live and what it says in the bottle.

The Expert answers:

Aluminum cans vary at what you get for them. If use the penny a can approach, that is a safe estimate.

Other things you can recycle for money, you need to call around your area to see who is paying for the materials, not everyone pays on these…
Clean copper brings some decent money, recyclers are going to vary on what you get paid and there are some restrictions in some states concerning copper pipe and tubing. If you do get some, remove any solder- just cut the pipe off where there is no solder, and put those chunks into a container because they will buy those too if they are buying copper- they are just paying more the clean copper. So scrape off any paint too.

Scrap aluminum, extrusions like picture frames, cast aluminum like old lawnmower engines, sheet/rolled. (like siding) These need to be cleaned of any other metals, like nails, bolts screws etc. Although sometimes you can get a penny a pound for “breakage” like a complete lawnmower engine.
Old motors and transformers.
Wire,
Magnesium,
non magnetic stailess steel,
brass, sort these by color of red or yellow
lead and old car batteries
Wire in some cases with the insulation intact. Don’t pollute the air or irritate your neighbors by burning wire to remove insulation- that is a bad thing because if you get caught- you get fined, and how much volume of material can determine how big the fine is sometimes.
Steel and iron really do not pay to try collect them on small scale. Large scale is a different matter.
Electronic scrap- The boards, and components- some will pay for them sorted along certain criteria and these must be removed the unit. So with a VCR for example, the cabinet needs to go away. Inside there is circuit board, usually a number of motors, usually at least 3. One of those motors drives the tape heads which are mounted in a sizable piece of aluminum billet.

In short- anything metal is recyclable, but some metals (mainly those that a magnet will stick to) require a large volume to make them a worthwile endeavor. The other metals are graded in certain and specific ways, and with a little bit of effort on your part to “clean them up” will increase what you get for them.

The Expert answers:

Call the shop and explain to them what you are trying to recycle there. Rates vary from State to State and even from one end of town to the next. In other words we don’t know where you are located at and therefore can’t even give you the link to your closest recycler and their prices.

I have a link to a Spokane, Washington Recycler that quotes their current prices. Take a look and see where your guard rails would fit in. What kind of metal are they made off?…. Etc.

Do not assume that their prices are anywhere near what you can get in your neighborhood or state and be prepared to prove where those guard rails came from because they fall into a class of items recyclers are not allowed to take unless you can prove to be the legal owner.

Here is the link I talked about… Remember that I don’t know where you live because you didn’t think it was important to mention it…

Http://www.earthworksrecycling.com/prices/index.html#buying

The Expert answers:

Hi, I searched on earth911.com and found a number of recycling centers for plastic bottles in Chicago area.

** City of Chicago Curbside Recycling Program – Chicago, IL 60602
They accept plastic beverage bottles, plastic bottles, plastic jugs and many other materials. You can contact them at (312) 744-4611

** City of Chicago Recycling Drop-off Program – Near South – 1758 S Clark St, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 744-5000

** City of Chicago Recycling Drop-off Program – West Loop –1519 W Warren Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607

** City of Chicago Recycling Drop-off Program – Chicago Center for Green Technology
445 N Sacramento Blvd, Chicago, IL 60612

** City of Chicago Recycling Drop-off Program – Douglas Park
1359 S Tompson Dr, Chicago, IL 60612

Check the following page for more details:
http://search.earth911.com/?what=Plastic+Bottles&where=chicago&latitude=&longitude=&country=&province=&city=

If none of these centers are close to where you live, you can enter the zip code or address of your area in the searching box to get the results you want.

Besides, here is a complete listing for “City of Chicago Drop-off Center Locations”, take a look at it to find the nearest one.
** Golf Course Lot at Warren Park — 2045 W. Pratt Blvd.
** Caldwell Woods Forest Preserve — 6358 W. Devon Ave
** Far North Side — 6441 N. Ravenswood
** Chevailier Woods Forest Preserve — 5530 N. East River Road
** Schiller Woods East Forest Preserve — 8700 W. Irving Park Road
** Portage Park Neighborhood — 4243 N. Neenah
** 17th District Police Station — 4649 N. Pulaski
** City Service Yard— 2817 N. Natoma Ave.
** Horner Park — 4201 N. California
** Riis Park — 6241 W. Wrightwood
** Hermosa Community — 4619 W. Homer

http://www.chicagorecycling.org/dropoff.htm

But remember, these organizations are non-profit. So, you might get any money from them. By contrast, the following centers will pay a certain amount of money for the water bottles. Call them to get more info:
Universal Scrap –http://www.universalscrap.com – (312) 666-0011
Recycling Centers –http://www.recyclingcenters.org – (773) 252-1989 or (312) 226-0473
Resource Center Chicago –http://www.resourcecenterchicago.org – (773) 493-1470 or (773) 821-1351
Recycling Services –http://www.recyclingservices.com – (773) 247-2070

Hope this info can help you. Good luck!

The Expert answers:

You can recycle your plastic water bottles for money at Covenant Plastics: 14510 Beaumont Hwy, Houston, TX 77049; Phone: 281-458-3660. – See more at: http://www.chacha.com/question/where-can-you-recycle-plastic-water-bottles-for-money-in-houston%2C-texas#sthash.kNpwlf4g.dpuf

The Expert answers:

Any aluminum that you recycle will get you money. Obviously the more the better but cans don’t weigh very much and the amount you get is based on weight so that’s not a good way to go.

The Expert answers:

Here, the city has a drive through recycling depot where citizens can take their e-waste for disposal. Companies aren’t allowed to use the depots as the companies must retain written documentation that they have properly disposed of the materials and they must pay for both recycling and garbage collection services. Many companies still take their e-waste to the depot, mostly due to the ignorance of their employees but all too often due to the lack of ethics with their management. Surprisingly few private citizens are even aware of the recycling depot.

The Expert answers:

Best Buy recycles old electronics. I mean really old electronics. I recently took them a Windows ME computer and an old “brick” cellphone and one of those really old “bag” car phones. (They were amused and amazed at the car phone. No one had seen one before.)
Here’s the link to their recycle program.

The Expert answers:

No, you do not want to throw your electronics (of any sort) into a normal recycling bin with household items. Those items (bottles, cans, etc.) will go to a MRF (material recovery facility) where they are separated, baled, and sold directly to manufacturers to use in recycled products. Electronics must be treated differently, as their components must be separated. In the case of your computer, the metal in the “guts” must be separated from the glass in the screen and the plastic in which it is all housed. This is why “e-waste” must generally go to a special program.

There are a few cities in the U.S. That provide curbside electronics recycling, but not many. I would recommend you contact your local solid waste authority to see what they recommend for your easiest means of disposal. Where I live, our waste authority operates an electronics recycling program where residents can drop stuff off once a week. You may also consider Goodwill (if there’s a location in your area). They (and some other thrift/charity shops) have partnered with Reconnect Partnership to recycle computers and all computer accessories (working or not). Similarly, all Best Buy reatil locations can accept electronics for recycling. Simply call ahead for details.

Recycling electronics is important. Many contain hazardous materials, such as lead in tube-type TV screens and mercury in flat panel computer monitors. They also contain valuable materials, such as copper, gold, silver, glass, and plastic, and thus should not be sent to the landfill. So yes! You should recycle them, though you proabably cannot just toss them in your curbside bin.

The Expert answers:

Google “sell old electronics” and a whole list of companies comes up.

The Expert answers:

Go to the Earth911 website
Enter in electronics and you zip code, or city and state.
It will give you a list of the closest places for you to choose from.

The Expert answers:

The business model for recycling is a fee service, all recycling pickups are a fee service. You pay to unload your recyclables. If they happen to make any money selling your recyclables, that just helps defer their costs.

The Expert answers:

Recycle them

Check http://www.mygreenelectronics.org/ for a location close to you.

The Expert answers:

Recycling electronics and appliances involves disassembling the machines, takes out a few valuable metals, then smashes the plastic to small bits. Various separators are used to sort out the different materials, which are then recycled separately.

There are a few areas in Europe that recycle electronics, but little in Americas, Asia, or Africa. Here in Florida, everything is put into land fills. Our county is poor and rural, has loose regulations, and has 5 new land fills in the last year. They are bringing in trash from hundreds of miles away to dump in our county. I think the money we are spending for global warming should be spent recycling all this trash instead of just burying it!

The Expert answers:

Many towns have different recycling programs.
Generally:
electronics and batteries are considered hazardous waste and need to go to a Hazardous Waste Collection Site.
Rubber toys, clothes, barbies, wooden toys, crayons etc can be donated to a local thrift store.

Plastic recycling varies: some communities take the 1-3 plastics, others will take 1-7. You have to call the Public Works department at your City Hall for that information.

All paper is recyclable except wax coated, food stained, construction paper, and ultra brights. Some communities require that they be separated (ie magazines. Newspapers, cardboard, mixed.) Again, Public Works can give you all the info~ they probably even have it on their website.