Recycle More in OTC! Otter Tail County Coalition of Lake Associations A brief guide on recycling in Otter Tail County Zach Fjestad Public Information & Education Officer
Why is Recycling a Good Thing? • There is a cost (often hidden) for disposal • Recycling keeps material out of the landfill • Reduces amount of garbage burned at the Perham Resource Recovery Facility (incinerator) • Provides jobs to members of our community • Conserves our resources • Keeps our lakes clean
Why is Recycling a Good Thing? We have one earth with 7 billion people sharing it and we need to take care of it. According to 2010 estimates from the EPA, each American generates approximately 4.5 pounds of trash a day – this translates to 250 million tons of trash generated each year by Americans!
Why is Recycling a Good Thing?
Why is Recycling a Good Thing? The good news is that approximately 34% of solid waste generated is either recycled or composted. This keeps 85 million tons out of incinerators and landfills each year. Recycling also reduces the amount of raw materials needed to create new products therefore reducing air pollution, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.
What can we do in OTC? • Otter Tail County offers a full recycling program where many common materials are accepted and processed for other manufacturers to make into new products. • Currently, the recycling rate for Otter Tail County is 31% ‐ slightly below the national 2010 average of 34%.
What can we do in OTC?
What can we do in OTC? • A recycling rate of 31% is good, but we can improve these rates by recycling more common materials that end up in the garbage instead. • Less than half of all aluminum cans in the United States were recycled in 2010! • In Otter Tail County, if you bring your aluminum cans to the recycling redemption center, we actually pay you for them – you’re throwing money away if you throw your aluminum cans in the garbage! • Based on our current rate of $0.40 per pound of aluminum, we are throwing away $128,000 worth of aluminum cans every year just in Otter Tail County!
Youth In Action • Youth groups, organizations, and other clubs can adopt a canister site • They are required to check on it at least once a month • They also have to do at least one community outreach education project once a year • Groups earn $250 for completing these activities for the year
Recycling Costs • Approximately $1.5 million budget • Offset by revenue that ranges between $600,000 ‐ $900,000 • Enterprise fund • Solid Waste Service Fee • Materials that make us money: aluminum cans, cardboard • Materials that are neutral: glass, plastic bottles, paper • Materials that cost us money: paperboard/boxboard, garbage
What Can We Recycle in OTC? • Aluminum • Tin (Steel) Cans • Glass • Plastic Bottles (#1 and #2 with a neck or spout) • Corrugated Cardboard • Newspaper • Paper • Magazines/Catalogs
How Can You Recycle in OTC? Otter Tail County operates a source ‐ separated system meaning all materials that can be recycled need to be separated into their own categories before they arrive at the recycling center. There are five main categories of recycling for separation: 1. Aluminum/Tin Cans 2. Glass 3. Plastic 4. Newspaper/Paper/Magazines & Catalogs 5. Corrugated Cardboard Note: (Aluminum cans need to be separated from tin if brought in for redemption)
How Can You Recycle in OTC? Fergus Falls and Perham offer a curbside collection service meaning the city picks up your recyclables from the curb alongside garbage.
How Can You Recycle in OTC? For residents in other communities or rural residents, Otter Tail County has recycling canisters located throughout the county where recyclables can be dropped off.
How Can You Recycle in OTC? Otter Tail County also has three recycling redemption centers where residents can redeem their aluminum cans for money along with dropping off their other recyclables. These are located in Fergus Falls, Perham, and Pelican Rapids. Please note that aluminum cans need to be separated from tin cans if they are brought into the redemption center.
Guidelines for Sorting Recyclables: Aluminum/Tin Cans • All aluminum and tin (steel) cans are accepted in OTC. • Please remove all contents. • Labels can be left on cans. • Discard unattached lids. It takes approximately 30 • Clean aluminum foil and pie aluminum cans to make one pans are also accepted. pound of aluminum. • Remember, the cleaner the Aluminum cans can be material you bring to us, the recycled endlessly without any more we can recycle. loss of material.
Guidelines for Sorting Recyclables: Glass All clear/colored glass bottles • and jars are accepted in OTC. No need to separate colored • glasses or clear glass. Please remove all contents. • Labels can be left on glass • bottles. Discard tops and lids. • Drinking glasses and window • glass excluding the frame are The glass we recycle in OTC is accepted. made into beads for Light bulbs, automotive glass, • sandblasting and landscaping porcelain, and ceramics are not accepted. material.
Guidelines for Sorting Recyclables: Plastic Plastic bottles and jugs with a #1 or • #2 and a neck or spout are accepted in OTC. Please remove all contents. • Labels can be left on plastic bottles • and jugs. Remove tops and lids and discard. • Plastic items that have a number • other than #1 or #2 or have no number are not accepted as well as containers without a neck or spout. Plastic bottles are made into • Common items such as yogurt • new plastic bottles as well as containers, margarine containers, and whipped topping containers fleece clothing, carpeting, and are not accepted. plastic lumber! Ice cream pails are accepted as long • as the handle has been removed and discarded.
Guidelines for Sorting Recyclables: Newspaper, Paper, & Magazines All newspaper, magazines, • catalogs, and most paper are accepted in OTC. Newspaper can be placed • directly into the newspaper bin. Magazines, catalogs, and other • glossy paper should be separated in a bag, box, or tied Recycled newspaper is ground together and placed in the up and made into a cellulose newspaper bin. insulation that is typically Office paper should be • “blown” into ceilings, walls, separated in a plastic bag and and attics. placed in the newspaper bin.
Guidelines for Sorting Recyclables: What Paper is Recyclable? White copier, printer, and • office paper Notebook paper • Post ‐ it notes (pastel colors • only) White/pastel colored • envelopes Staples, paperclips, ink, and Letterhead (no foil • imprinting) highlighter is all okay to be left on as they will all be removed White adding machine tape • before the paper is recycled. Telephone message sheets • Remember that the whiter the Uncoated calendar sheets • paper the easier it will be to Shredded paper (white or • recycle. pastel colors only)
Guidelines for Sorting Recyclables: What Paper is NOT Recyclable? Bright, bold colored paper • Brown/Yellow envelopes • Front or backs of notebooks • Covers of books • Colored or hanging file folders • Thermal fax paper • Carbon paper • Construction paper – all colors • Blueprint paper • Paper towels and tissues • Paper plates and cups • Candy wrappers • Gift/present wrapping paper •
Guidelines for Sorting Recyclables: Other Facts About Paper Items • We accept the paper from books, but the covers must be removed. • We accept full notebooks, but the covers must be removed. Metal and plastic binders can be left in. • We do not accept bright and bold ‐ colored papers because a bleaching agent is needed to get it white again.
Guidelines for Sorting Recyclables: Corrugated Cardboard • All corrugated cardboard and paper bags are accepted in OTC. • Corrugated cardboard has a “wave” layer of cardboard between two layers of flat cardboard – you can see this by looking at the side of a cardboard box.
Guidelines for Sorting Recyclables: Paperboard/Boxboard Paperboard and boxboard – • commonly used for soda pop containers and cereal boxes – are not accepted. Boxes with waxy surfaces such as • large fruit boxes are not accepted. Pizza boxes, while often made of • corrugated cardboard, are not accepted unless they are completely free of grease and contaminates. Please break corrugated boxes • down and flatten them so they take up less space.
Questions? For more information, please visit: www.co.ottertail.mn.us/solidwaste/recycling
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