Recycling Rates for 2006 include:
° 43% Recycling rate
(258,810 tons of material)
° 45% Diverted rate
(196,718 tons of material)
° 44% Combined rate
Many of the recyclables in the MSW rate, as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), are the ones that most of us think about ---- metal, glass, paper fiber and plastics. However, there are other materials that can be recycled:
- Many construction and demolition materials can be recycled or reused.
- Motor oil and antifreeze collected at System Hazardous Waste sites are recycled.
- White goods/large appliances are required to cross the scales at the regular solid waste rate because they need special handling. The appliances are recycled as scrap metal after the refrigerant is recovered and other hazardous components (mercury switches, capacitors with PCBs) are removed by trained staff.
- Clean yard debris includes leaves, grass, clippings, bark, weeds, twigs, pine needles, pine cones, limbs not more than 6' long and 3" in diameter, and sod not more than 3" think.
For additional information on recycling visit the following links or call the Recycling Hotline at 509-625-6800.