Word About Recycling - Nov. 8, 2009 » Columns » San Marcos Record, San Marcos, TX

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November 7, 2009

Word About Recycling - Nov. 8, 2009

By Ollie & Gloria Maier The San Marcos Record Sat Nov 07, 2009, 04:44 PM CST

Many of us buy soft drinks in the clear or green plastic bottles made of PET. Thus an item in the latest “Recycling Today” e-newsletter caught our eye. Three associations involved with PET released their joint “2008 Report on Postconsumer PET Container Recycling Activity.” In their report, they noted “... that the PET recycling rate last year was 27 percent.” This was an increase of more than 9 percent from the previous year.

It mentioned “Over 1.45 billion pounds of PET bottles were collected in the United States in 2008, the highest PET container collection volume recorded to date.”

And even better news to us is that much of this recycled plastic was used here in the United States. “The report details the end-uses for a record 915 million pounds of recycled PET used in domestic manufacturing applications.”

Switching subjects, a few months ago we mentioned how a program to reward recyclers, RecycleBank, was starting to be used in several places. Quoting a recent “Recycling Today” e-newsletter we found “Currently, RecycleBank services more than one million people across 20 states and also provides service in the United Kingdom.”

Now, in their latest e-newsletter we find this program will be starting even closer to home.

“The city of Houston has announced a partnership with RecycleBank to boost the collection and recycling of materials through the city. The program allows residents to accrue points through recovering various recyclables that can be used to purchase goods and services from a range of companies. With the program, RecycleBank measures the amount of material recycled and converts the amounts into RecycleBank points that can be redeemed.”

The article went on to say, “Houston residents begin receiving rewards for recycling on Monday, Nov 9, 2009.”

(This is similar to a program, called SMART, which TDS had planned for or has started in the curbside recycling effort in San Marcos. We will check on its status and give a report in a future column.)

Another article caught our eye as it mentioned Mexico where we just returned from a short vacation at a resort on its west coast.

“California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed Senate Bill 167, which allows funds from California Integrated Waste Management Board’s Tire Recycling Fund to be used on education, infrastructure, clean up, prevention, reuse and recycling of tires on the California-Mexico border, including Mexico.”

California’s Tire Recycling Fund obtains its money from “... a $1 fee on all new tires sold in the state. Money collected through the program is used to boost tire recycling programs in the state.”

(That’s a little like the $2 fee Texas had on new tires a few years back.)

Till next week, do have a great one...

Gloria and Ollie are local citizens concerned with the environment and helping others. For questions or comments, please call them at 353-7432 or e-mail them to omaier@TxState.edu.

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