Originally published July 3 2005
Recycling expert tackles confusion over recyclables
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Evelyn the Envelope, in a recent column for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, noted that even a recycling guru such as herself sometimes gets confused about what is recyclable, so the Seattle Public Utilities' recycling advice columnist went through some of these confusions to try and clear them up.
As Seattle Public Utilities' recycling advice columnist and host of the online Recycling IQ Game (www.seattle.gov/util), I enjoyed Gregory Trieste's essay last week ("Playing the 'Recycling IQ' game -- and losing") that humorously chronicled his confusion on what can be recycled in Seattle.
I'll be honest -- even I, Evelyn the Envelope, sometimes find recycling to be a little confusing.
Because the plastics manufacturing industry created those numbers to indicate the type of resin those items are made of, not that they can be recycled.
By recycling 20 percent more paper, plastic, aluminum and glass, we could save as much as $2 million a year on landfill costs and keep garbage bills low.
Since the passage last year of Ordinance #121372 (New Recycling Requirements), more businesses, apartments and condos are offering recycling to their employees and residents than ever.
You can even find recycling bins on sidewalks to recycle your bottles and cans.
If you recycle, don't let these new recycling requirements worry you.
If an aluminum can or a newspaper mistakenly finds its way into your garbage, you aren't going to be penalized.
For residents, enforcement in 2006 will mean that if garbage collectors find garbage filled with recyclables (more than 10 percent by volume), they'll simply leave it behind with a note asking you to remove the recyclables.
For businesses and apartments, random checks by Seattle Public Utilities inspectors may result in educational notices being left when they find a significant amount of recyclable paper, cardboard and yard waste dumped in the garbage.
Through education and convenience, we're trying to make recycling as easy as possible for everyone.
We're interested in publishing personal essays written by readers.
Essay submissions should be between 300 and 600 words.
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