Cornell University : Cornell Cooperative Extension

Recycling

• Every year Americans throw away enough trash to cover a 24 lane highway, coast to coast, one foot deep in garbage.
  
• One dollar out of every $11 spent on groceries goes for packaging.
  
• Almost half of household waste is packaging.
  
• Yard waste, like grass clippings, leaves and twigs, account for ten percent of landfilled waste.

As the population increases each year, landfill space decreases and new land needs to be designated for disposal of everyone's garbage. Since it would be almost impossible to decrease the population, we need to focus on how to reduce the amount of waste that goes to the landfill. We can do that by using the three R's.

First you must REDUCE the materials which you bring into your home which are unnecessary.

• Choose reusable rather than disposable products (for example, razors and diapers).
  
• Buy products with little or no packaging.
  
• Mulch-mow; let grass grow to 3 inches, then mow one inch off, leaving the clippings on the lawn.
  
• Chop up autumn leaves with the lawn mower and use them for winter mulch, or participate in a community composting program.
  
• Compost your food wastes in the backyard or with a worm composting bin in your home.
  
• Reject non-recyclable containers, non-biodegradable containers (such as styrofoam) and toxic household products. Choose instead a non-poisonous, biodegradable alternative.

Second, you should REUSE as many materials as possible, like plastic tubs, glass jars and tins.

• Buy rechargeable batteries.
  
• Use washable cloth napkins, towels and rags.
  
• Donate old clothing and furniture to charity.
  
• Use cloth grocery bags.

Third, you can RECYCLE most of the rest of your waste in your local recycling program. Different communities have programs in place to collect various materials.

• Rinse or wash all glass, metal and plastic.
  
• Drain and dry thoroughly after washing - moisture will attract insects or cause mold or mildew.
  
• Paper and cardboard should be kept dry and free of mildew.
  
• Prepare your recyclables correctly. Those prepared incorrectly may make them unusable.

Today there are millions of products in stores which were made from old recycled materials. For example some of your plastic containers are now new containers, carpet and even plastic wood.

So do your part. Practice the 3 R's and support the recycling industry by buying materials which contain recycled materials. The more you reduce, reuse and recycle, the more land we will have on which to live, not wasted for garbage disposal.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Yates Association
Last updated: 8/28/01

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