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You may have heard that China is tired of being the global dump of plastics and other recyclables. Since 1992, 45% of the plastics recovered worldwide have been exported to China for processing. But as part of a mbadive antipollution campaign, China announced last summer that it was no longer taking our garbage.
Despite this upheaval, most markets for recyclables, including aluminum cans, cans, glbad and paper 1, 2, 4 and 5 plastic bottles, are intact and viable, so keep the recycling.
Learning the ins and outs of your recycling bin can prevent contamination of the recycling waste stream and ensure that your materials are recycled. Consumer enthusiasm for recycling tends to be high, but many consumers do not know which items can be recycled. This is what is called "wish cycling" or "vacuum recycling".
Contact your waste carrier or visit their website for detailed information on what may be in the bin. YVSC also offers an AZ recycling guide for Routt County at the following address: yvsc.org/a-zrecycleguide.
L' ban on imports from China has caused jamming of the country. US recycling industry and markets for plastics number 3, 6 and 7 (take-away cups and popcorn deli boxes) are volatile. But the end result will be good for domestic recycling – and our environment.
At the national level, new markets are developing, sales of recyclable materials are increasing and recycling contamination rates are decreasing. At the state level, groups like the Colorado Association for Recycling facilitate conversations to clean up curbside recycling, develop new regional markets for materials, and encourage innovative end-uses for hard-to-recycle materials.
In Routt County, the new Yampa Valley Sustainability Council Materials Management Working Group is focusing on the development of a strategic plan for waste diversion at the local level. If you are interested in getting involved or want information on the group's progress, contact [email protected].
YVSC also helps our community reduce waste before they are created, encouraging people to shop in reused businesses. from food that they throw away, buy less-packaged foods or refuse single-use plastics. Reducing your plastic consumption, in particular, reduces carbon emissions, creates a cleaner world for wildlife and humans, and saves money. You can make your July plastic free by signing up for the Plastic Free July Challenge at the following address: plasticfreejuly.org
If you're ready to go beyond plastics to reduce your personal carbon footprint, take a look at YVSC commitment to climate yvsc.org/ climateactionpledge. More than 800 residents of the Yampa Valley, all ages, have engaged in two or more simple actions to reduce their carbon emissions and fight climate change.
With the situation in China, Americans have an opportunity jobs and businesses using recycled materials and reduce waste before production. As consumers, we play an important role in the growth of the recycling industry: we can say no to single-use items and push industries to design for recycling and reuse – instead of designing for the discharge. And we can continue to recycle.
Cameron Hawkins is the director of waste diversion at the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council.
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