Back To Index | Cheshire County USA
Recycling Headlines
Each month, we receive no less than a dozen trade magazines and newspapers designed to keep us informed on the latest trends in solid waste management and recycling. I always skim each publication looking for items of particular relevance, but time constraints prevent me from reading all the articles. One of the most timely publications is Recycling Times, which is a weekly journal of recycling markets. Here, I can gauge recycling activity on a local, regional, national and international level to get a sense of how these activities is likely to affect our ability to market recyclable material.
A sampling of the headlines from the May 12, 1997 Recycling Times reveals the following headlines:
D.C. Recycling Advocates to Protest Monthly at Mayor's Office - is a story about 100 residents who brought all their recyclables to Mayor Marion Barry's office in protest of cutbacks. The protest proved so successful that organizers decided to hold the event monthly.
U.S. Recycling Rate Up to 27% in 1995 - an article reporting statistics from the Environmental Protection Agency that shows the 1995 recycling rate is up from 17% in 1990.
Use of PET on the Rise in Japan - despite a hopeful beginning for the sagging PET market, this article simply details the increased use of PET plastic in Japan, but goes on to mention it is unlikely to have any impact on U.S. PET markets.
New England Conference Focuses on Expanding Markets - a summary of a conference I attended in Boston called the New England Environmental Expo, which among many other topics, discussed waste diversion goals and the need to expand recycling markets to achieve higher waste diversion.
ONP Prices Rising as OCC Prices Weaken - a pricing trends summary about the rise in prices for Old Newspapers (ONP) and price declines for Old Corrugated Cardboard (OCC).
What is a Ton of Recyclables Worth? - an attempt to quantify the prices paid for an average ton of curbside recyclables.
Recycling Program Pays Off for Vermont Health Care Facility - a case study of Fletcher Allen Health Care of Burlington, Vermont which, since 1989, has cut waste production by more than half.
Some of the programs we employ in Keene were developed and modified from ideas garnered in these trade journals. Sharing information, reusing and recycling ideas is a good way to stay at the forefront of the "waste management" field.
Charlie says - "PETE plastic, commonly known as #1 plastic, is an acronym for polyethylene terephthalate."
Duncan Watson is the solid waste coordinator
for the Keene Public Works Department.