As we recently posted, we are in the midst of the worst recycling environment which we have seen in the last 20 years and all indications are that the market for recycling materials will not improve in the foreseeable future. You may have read about the restrictions placed by China on importing recyclable materials from the United States. China has closed its doors to many types of recycling materials and is requiring that the material be 99.5% free from contamination. According to the staff at the Mercer County Improvement Authority (MCIA), the contamination rate for recycling collected from Mercer County communities is 11.4%. This means that we have significant work to do to make our recycling acceptable for the market.
China was also the largest consumer of US recyclable volume and no longer is purchasing the volumes that it did in the past. This means that there is a glut of supply in the market which is significantly driving down the value of this materials. As a result, in many cities across the nation, recyclables are ending up in landfills.
What this Means for Us
We must do a better job of recycling or face:
- Higher taxes because of skyrocketing recycling costs.
- More landfills to bury contaminated recycling.
- Risks for wildlife, waterways, oceans and the quality of life on our planet.
- Imperiled futures for our children and grandchildren.
There is no magic want to wave away our trash! We are now facing the consequences of thoughtless consumption and waste, We MUST rethink our disposable lifestyles. In some of our upcoming posts, we will discuss ways in which each one of us can make a difference in combating this relentless crisis.
The EGT has published the attached recycling flyer, Trash Talk: Recycling in Crisis, for easy reference to answer your recycling questions.
To summarize: One piece of garbage makes it all garbage! We advocate that when it doubt, throw it out! We ask that all residents keep the following do’s and don’ts in mind when recycling:
Recycling Do’s and Don’ts
- DO remember the first of the 3Rs of recycling: Reduce. Make every effort to reduce the amount of waste that you produce. Single-use plastics are a significant component of that waste stream because they “don’t go away and essentially, last forever. Make every effort to eliminate single-use items such as plastic grocery bags, straws, utensils and cups, bottled water, take-out containers… Use reusable versions of those products instead.
- DO recycle all empty bottles, cans, paper and cardboard.
- DO recycle clean materials: i.e. keep foods and liquids out of recycling.
- DO keep plastic bags out of recycling.
- DO check out this site for more information about how you can do your share to Reduce | Reuse | Recycle.
- DON’T bag your recyclables. Plastic bags and film get tangled in the machinery. (Our local supermarkets have plastic bag collection bins at their entrances.)
- DON’T include soiled food items. They can turn an entire load of recycling into trash.
- DON’T add sharp or dangerous materials like needles and electronics. They can cause injury to workers.
- DON’T include bulky items like propane tanks or construction debris (no wood). The Township Convenience Center at 136 Scotch Road will take a lot of materials that you cannot leave at the curb. Please check our website or call 609- 882-3382 for accepted materials.
- DON’T add items that are not on the list of accepted materials. This will contaminate the entire load.
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The MCIA will be running its first Household Waste and Electronics Disposal Day of the year on Saturday, March 27th from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. It will be held at John T. Dempster Fire School, Lawrence Station Rd in Lawrence Twp.
