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Trash!
We don't like to think about what happens to our garbage once it hits the curb. But recycling managers in the region say we might have to soon because the landfills are filling up. We'll talk with the people who deal with our junk about responsible ways to recycle and safely dispose of the stuff we want to get rid of. Guests include Garry Penning, a manager with Rogue Disposal and Recycling, and Chris McCullough, Douglas County Waste Reduction manager. Rogue Disposal is a member of the Jackson County Recycling Partnership. |
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5 COMMENTS SO FAR
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April 22, 2008
2:18 PM
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DavidWatson said:
I would like to make the Exchange aware of a good way to responsible way to dispose of electronic waste in Eugene. NextStep Recycling accepts all manner of unwanted electric devices. If it has a plug or runs on batteries they accept it. For more information on this service please see their web site: http://nextsteprecycling.org/
Perhaps having the director, Lorrain Kerwood as a guest would be a great addition to the conversation.
Thanks for bringing this subject to the community.
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April 22, 2008
3:59 PM
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juliedaniel said:
The real issue with trash is not landfill space, but the environmental cost of making so much waste in the first place.
Despite enormous gains in recycling, trash generation in Oregon is at an all time high, around 8.5# per person, per day. We're recycling more, but we are making so much more trash that the net gain is zero. I challenge Jefferson Exchange listeners to consider reducing waste, not just recycling it. The big environmental price tag occurs during production of goods, not at the end of their lives when we decide how to dispose of them responsibly. If we are concerned about climate change, pollution, energy shortages, rising prices, species decline and habitat degradation, then preventing waste is 20 times more effective than recycling it after it is made.
For more information, plus a comprehensive list of where you can recycle just about everything in Lane County, see BRING Recycling's website at www.bringrecycling.org or come visit us at the Planet Improvement Center, 4446 Franklin Boulevard Eugene, 97403 (Actually in Glenwood, between Eugene and Springfield).
PS. We refer hundreds of callers to NextStep, and they are a wonderful organization.
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April 23, 2008
9:36 AM
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mikesims said:
One of the problems with commingling (opposed to source separation) is that is creates a "dirty recycling stream" where most of the material is "low-graded" and contaminated with glass and other material. Often, material from these commingled streams is sold to paper or plastic processors where it then damages their equipment; a lot of this commingle material ends up in the trash by the processors when cannot handle the dirty material. This has also hurt recyclable paper prices because the paper stream is dirty and produces a lower-grade product. This is a huge problem to be overcome for commingling to be truly effective.
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April 23, 2008
9:41 AM
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oregonDave said:
while NextStep Recycling is a great idea, in concept, it is not very helpful of them to demand a fee for recycling. i recently attempted to turn in a dying computer monitor, rather than dropping it into my curbside trash hopper or tossing it into the pit at the transfer station, and they tried to assess a $15 fee for the device. i was annoyed by that, and in anger "abandoned" the monitor in a shopping cart at a local "one-stop" shopping location. i know this was wrong, but charging a fee for doing the right thing is going to discourage people from following through.
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April 23, 2008
11:51 AM
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russellintalent said:
What about plasma gassification? No one mentioned that technology as far as I heard today. I'm not a professional in the field, but I've seen a couple of plants that can take any trash (banana peels to car tires) and through some refining and plasma gassification can separate the material to its base elements, use some of the byproduct to power the plant as well as many thousand homes and still have other base elements to sell back to manufacturing industries for re-use.
This seems like a far better option than simply landfilling anything not easily recyclable.
Sorry for commenting so late, but the sign up process to be able to post took quite a while to get my password.
Thank you.
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