A Word About Recycling - Dec. 6, 2009

By Ollie & Gloria Maier

We all know our Federal Government is involved in Health Care legislation, the wars being fought to defend freedom, etc., but some responsible congressmen are also involved in saving our natural resources.

From E-Scrap Recycling e-newsletter we find the following item:

“E-scrap stemming from the U.S. Congress may only be processed by e-Stewards, if a resolution before the House of Representatives ends up being signed into law.” U.S. Representative Mike Thompson (D-California) last week introduced House Resolution 938, “... which calls for Congress to "to establish and implement a coordinated program for the reuse, recycling, and appropriate disposal of obsolete computers and other electronic equipment used by legislative branch offices, using only those companies certified by accredited e-Stewards certification bodies to be in conformance with the requirements of the e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment."

We find that, “The bipartisan measure, co-sponsored by Gene Green (D-Texas), Mary Bono Mack (R-California) and Brian Bilbray (R-California), was referred to the House Committee on House Administration.”

(That’s one piece of legislation that should be beneficial and prevent such items from going to a landfill.)

Now, an item from a Resource Recycling e-newsletter shows disagreements occur in the recycling world.

“A company making degradable PET bottles that it claims are recyclable is getting a big push, with several bottled water companies signing up to sell their ‘green’ containers; however, do ENSO Bottle's recyclability claims hold water?”

The company “... claims that its containers are recyclable, saying that its EcoPure additive "does not change the physical characteristics of the PET," and, therefore, does not affect the recyclability of its containers.”

However, “The Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR) doesn't think ENSO's claims hold water.” They explain, "No credible data set has been offered substantiating this technology or others do not disrupt the recycling processes or products.”

(It will be interesting to see which of the arguments “holds water.”)

Switching to the Recycling Today Global e-newsetter, we go overseas.

“According to reports released by the European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association, a European-based tire association, tire recycling and recovery rates on the continent topped 95 percent last year.”

The article explained, “Last year, up to 60 percent of the 3.3 million metric tons of end of life tires in the European market were collected and treated under Producer Responsibility obligations. While energy recovery continues to account for around 35 per cent of these tires, material recycling is the market to have most benefited from falling landfill usage.”

The article noted: “Between 1994 and 2008, the recycling rate has grown to 40 percent, showing that the recycling applications market is being sustainably consolidated.”

(Wish that many of the old tires were being recycled here in the U.S.)

Finally, coming back to our community, the monthly report on how much was recycled at the Green Guy Recycling Services drop-off site. (These figures are for October, which were received too late to publish in the November articles.)

Metals = 766,373 pounds

Cardboard = 177,720 pounds

Paper = 98.860 pounds

Glass = 49,383 pounds

Plastic (jugs and bottles) = 16,680 pounds

Also recycled at the drop-off site were 568 gallons of used oil, an estimated 200 used oil filters, and approximately 422 used tires.

(Thus far this year through October, almost 11 million pounds of recyclables have been turned in at this site alone by you responsible citizens... That’s great!)

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



Gloria and Ollie are local citizens concerned with the environment and helping others. Ollie is a graduate of Leadership San Marcos and they both received higher education at TxState University and worked on staff before retiring. For questions or comments, please call them at (512) 353-7432 or e-mail them to omaier@TxState.edu

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