Recycling
Chances are that when people in Berks County haul their trash to the curb, they drag a recycling bin as well.
Most of the county's 73 municipalities have some form of recycling program. About half offer curbside recycling collection. Others provide drop-off centers.
It's been more than 20 years since Pennsylvania enacted its recycling program, which required municipalities with more than 10,000 people to offer recycling.
Other than to comply with state law, why do we recycle?
Recycling reduces the amount of household waste going into landfills, saves energy and cuts down on the need to extract raw materials for items such as aluminum cans and office paper, said Jane Meeks, executive director of the Berks County Solid Waste Authority.
Recycling has grown in Berks County, Meeks said. While only 14 municipalities in Berks are required to recycle, 56 have some program available for residents, she said.
Some common questions about recycling:
Who has to recycle?
Pennsylvania's 1988 recycling law requires large municipalities and those with more than 5,000 people and a population density of 300 people per square mile to recycle.
Statewide, 440 municipalities are required to recycle. That represents 8.15 million people, or 66 percent of the state's population.
More than 1,200 municipalities, with 91 percent of Pennsylvania's population, have access to recycling programs.
Does recycling reduce the need for landfills?
Yes and no.
Recycling programs can cut the amount of household waste going to landfills.
But landfills find other materials to take in, such as sewer sludge, to help pay for operations.
Landfills like Conestoga Landfill in Caernarvon Township are seeing a drop in the amount of material they take in.
In January 2008, the landfill took in 122,000 tons of trash. The following January, it took in 81,710 tons.
Officials believe the drop is due to people reducing spending and thereby cutting back on how much they throw away.
How does the average person benefit from recycling?
If you pay a per-bag fee for trash disposal, recycling reduces the amount you pay. Also, municipalities participating in recycling programs receive state grants based on how much they recycle.
Moreover, people are starting to see the environmental benefit of recycling.
What happens to my recyclables?
The county, the city of Reading and several other municipalities send their materials to Cougle's Recycling Inc. in Hamburg.
Cougle's crushes glass and turns it into a material that can be used in septic systems instead of sand.
Cougle's ships plastic bottles to a sister company near Auburn, Schuylkill County, called Everlast Plastic Lumber, which uses the material to make a lumberlike product that has several uses, such as decking.
Office paper is turned into tissue paper and similar products. United Corrstack in Reading makes cardboard from recycled paper.
What products in my house are in the recycling loop?
Probably many. For example, plastic clothes hangers are often melted down to use for children's toys. Plastic bottles can be used in T-shirts, carpet fibers and even the reusable shopping bags sold in retail stores. Many paper products are made from recycled materials.
Some unique items are made from recycled materials.
Weisenbach Recycled Products of Columbus, Ohio, makes bird feeders and backpacks from recycled plastics.
Amazing Recycled Products Inc. of Denver turns paper money destroyed by the U.S. Department of Treasury into flower pots and transforms recycled plastic into dog bowls and dust bins.
Plastics recycling classifications
Polythylene terephthalate
Used for single-use soft drink and water bottles, salad dressing bottles, peanut butter and jam jars. Picked up through most curbside recycling programs.
High-density polyethylene
Used for milk jugs, large juice and water bottles, bleach, detergent and household cleaner bottles. Picked up through most curbside recycling programs.
Vinyl or PVC
Used in window cleaner and detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, cooking oil bottles and clear food packaging. Rarely recycled.
Low-density polyethylene
Used as squeezable bottles, bags for bread, frozen food, dry cleaning and shopping. Historically not picked up curbside but more communities are starting to accept it.
Polypropylene
Used as yogurt containers, syrup and ketchup bottles, caps, straws and medicine bottles. Gradually becoming more accepted for recycling.
Polystyrene
Used as egg cartons, packing peanuts, disposable cups, plates, trays and containers. Widely accepted for recycling.
Other; often polycarbonate
Used as beverage bottles, baby bottles and electronic casing. Rarely recycled.
Source: Society of the Plastics Industry
Contact Darrin Youker: 610-371-5032 or dyouker@readingeagle.com
Most of the county's 73 municipalities have some form of recycling program. About half offer curbside recycling collection. Others provide drop-off centers.
It's been more than 20 years since Pennsylvania enacted its recycling program, which required municipalities with more than 10,000 people to offer recycling.
Other than to comply with state law, why do we recycle?
Recycling reduces the amount of household waste going into landfills, saves energy and cuts down on the need to extract raw materials for items such as aluminum cans and office paper, said Jane Meeks, executive director of the Berks County Solid Waste Authority.
Recycling has grown in Berks County, Meeks said. While only 14 municipalities in Berks are required to recycle, 56 have some program available for residents, she said.
Some common questions about recycling:
Who has to recycle?
Pennsylvania's 1988 recycling law requires large municipalities and those with more than 5,000 people and a population density of 300 people per square mile to recycle.
Statewide, 440 municipalities are required to recycle. That represents 8.15 million people, or 66 percent of the state's population.
More than 1,200 municipalities, with 91 percent of Pennsylvania's population, have access to recycling programs.
Does recycling reduce the need for landfills?
Yes and no.
Recycling programs can cut the amount of household waste going to landfills.
But landfills find other materials to take in, such as sewer sludge, to help pay for operations.
Landfills like Conestoga Landfill in Caernarvon Township are seeing a drop in the amount of material they take in.
In January 2008, the landfill took in 122,000 tons of trash. The following January, it took in 81,710 tons.
Officials believe the drop is due to people reducing spending and thereby cutting back on how much they throw away.
How does the average person benefit from recycling?
If you pay a per-bag fee for trash disposal, recycling reduces the amount you pay. Also, municipalities participating in recycling programs receive state grants based on how much they recycle.
Moreover, people are starting to see the environmental benefit of recycling.
What happens to my recyclables?
The county, the city of Reading and several other municipalities send their materials to Cougle's Recycling Inc. in Hamburg.
Cougle's crushes glass and turns it into a material that can be used in septic systems instead of sand.
Cougle's ships plastic bottles to a sister company near Auburn, Schuylkill County, called Everlast Plastic Lumber, which uses the material to make a lumberlike product that has several uses, such as decking.
Office paper is turned into tissue paper and similar products. United Corrstack in Reading makes cardboard from recycled paper.
What products in my house are in the recycling loop?
Probably many. For example, plastic clothes hangers are often melted down to use for children's toys. Plastic bottles can be used in T-shirts, carpet fibers and even the reusable shopping bags sold in retail stores. Many paper products are made from recycled materials.
Some unique items are made from recycled materials.
Weisenbach Recycled Products of Columbus, Ohio, makes bird feeders and backpacks from recycled plastics.
Amazing Recycled Products Inc. of Denver turns paper money destroyed by the U.S. Department of Treasury into flower pots and transforms recycled plastic into dog bowls and dust bins.
Plastics recycling classifications
Polythylene terephthalate
Used for single-use soft drink and water bottles, salad dressing bottles, peanut butter and jam jars. Picked up through most curbside recycling programs.
High-density polyethylene
Used for milk jugs, large juice and water bottles, bleach, detergent and household cleaner bottles. Picked up through most curbside recycling programs.
Vinyl or PVC
Used in window cleaner and detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, cooking oil bottles and clear food packaging. Rarely recycled.
Low-density polyethylene
Used as squeezable bottles, bags for bread, frozen food, dry cleaning and shopping. Historically not picked up curbside but more communities are starting to accept it.
Polypropylene
Used as yogurt containers, syrup and ketchup bottles, caps, straws and medicine bottles. Gradually becoming more accepted for recycling.
Polystyrene
Used as egg cartons, packing peanuts, disposable cups, plates, trays and containers. Widely accepted for recycling.
Other; often polycarbonate
Used as beverage bottles, baby bottles and electronic casing. Rarely recycled.
Source: Society of the Plastics Industry
Contact Darrin Youker: 610-371-5032 or dyouker@readingeagle.com
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If you don't have a recycling bin, you could buy one to help you!
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