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8/22/97-A few years ago, Duncan Watson, Keene's Solid Waste Manager, made a video about recycling called "Recycle it Right." The video included some children telling about recycling and how to get the most out of your money by buying products in recycled containers in the grocery store.
Also in this video, Duncan opened a bag of trash from the landfill. In this bag of trash, there were many things that could be recycled including empty cans, bottles, newspaper and such. About 3/4 of what was in the bag could be recycled, except for the fact that the containers were probably not rinsed out and that the paper products were soiled with liquids. Now think, what kind of materials go into your garbage can at home? Old junk mail and envelopes? Food and vegetable peels from dinner preparation? Maybe even those old jeans that no longer fit you but were still in good condition? Empty soda, milk and juice containers? Sound familiar? Hopefully not.
You can recycle around 75 percent of what you throw into your garbage can. For example, last night's vegetable peels can be put into a compost bin and made into new soil that you can use to plant new vegetables. Your old junk mail and envelopes can be recycled also (removing plastic windows is optional, but preferred). Old papers, boxboard, and old phone books can all get recycled and turned into new products. Old clothing should be clean and dry and then it can be brought up to the recycling drop off center. The clothing is shipped out to people who need it. Empty soda bottles, cans, plastic milk jugs, and laundry detergent containers can also be recycled. Haulers that collect recyclables at curbside will take the mixed containers, but please remove all caps and rinse them prior to recycling. Some haulers offer curbside collection of mixed paper, but if your hauler doesn't, you can bring mixed paper and other recyclables to the recycling drop off center on Route 12 North between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m .Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.
There are some items, however, that can't be recycled. Those items include things soiled with food including dirty pizza boxes and dirty napkins, waxed boxboard, and most plastics numbers three through seven. Most of what can't be recycled is common sense. If you are in doubt about whether something is recyclable, it's best to ask first. A small amount of contamination can ruin a whole truckload of recyclables.
At the end of 1998, the landfill is going to be closed and all that will be left is a spectacular view Mt. Monadnock. If you don't already recycle or if you have never been up to the recycling center, take a ride up with your recyclables. It does not take very long to drop off your items and then you can take a look around and ask any questions you want. You will find that the recycling center is a clean facility and that it gets very busy at times. What will really strike you is the contrast between the landfill and the recycling center. The landfill receives a tremendous amount of material that is soon buried and rendered useless forever. The recycling center takes items that people discard and prepares them to be made into new products. If you bring items to the recycling center you are guaranteed to feel better than if all your stuff ends up in the landfill.
This article was written by Kate Desbiens who is going to be a sophomore at Keene High School. Kate has been working at the Keene Recycling Center as part of the Summer Youth Employment initiative sponsored by the City of Keene. Kate is interested in poetry and hopes to be an English teacher someday.
Duncan Watson is the solid waste coordinator
for the Keene Public Works Department.