[Durham INC] Durham Provides Easy Tips for America Recycles Day

Thu Nov 14 08:00:39 EST 2013

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CITY OF DURHAM
Office of Public Affairs
101 City Hall Plaza
Durham, NC 27701

News Release

News Media Contact:
Amy Blalock
Sr. Public Affairs Specialist
(919) 560-4123 x 11253
(919) 475-7735 (cell)
Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov<mailto:Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov>
http://Facebook.com/CityofDurhamNC
http://Twitter.com/CityofDurhamNC
http://Youtube.com/CityofDurhamNC

For Immediate Release: November 14, 2013

Durham Celebrates America Recycles Day November 15
Easy Tips are Small Actions to Make a Big Difference

DURHAM, N.C. - With Americans pledging to increase their recycling habits at home and at work tomorrow in honor of America Recycles Day, there's no better time for Durham residents to get involved and become better environmental stewards.

America Recycles Day occurs every November 15 and is the annual recycling initiative launched by Keep America Beautiful, a nonprofit that brings people together to build and sustain vibrant communities. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Keep America Beautiful, the average American produces 4.4 pounds of trash a day, and on the whole the United States produces more than 250 million tons of trash a year. However, only about 35 percent is currently recycled.

To help Durham residents renew their commitment to recycling for America Recycles Day - and every day of the year - the City's Solid Waste Management Department has provided the following tips.

Tip #1:  Recycle junk mail or reuse it as scratch paper. To opt-out of certain junk-mailing lists, go to http://freemymailbox.com. This website is a directory service of sites dedicated to reducing junk mail, catalogues, and other unwanted clutter from people's lives.

Tip #2: Take an item to the City's Swap Shop. The purpose of the Swap Shop, located inside the City's Waste Disposal and Recycling Center at 2115 E. Club Blvd., is to encourage waste reduction through the practice of reuse. All items are free and residents do not have to bring something to take something. Other guidelines include:

*         Open to residents only (no businesses) and operates on a first-come, first-served basis

*         All visitors much check-in the Scale Operator on-site

*         Items must work, be placed neatly on the shelves with like items grouped together

*         Furniture must not be soiled, torn or broken

Tip #3: Pizza boxes are not recyclable, but pizza box tops can be if they are clean. Pizza boxes are not recyclable because the grease and cheese from the pizza soil the cardboard, making it unusable for the paper-making process. This is also the reason that other food-related items are non-recyclable, such as used paper plates, used napkins, and used paper towels. However, all is not lost, simply tear off the top of the pizza box and recycle the "clean" part instead.

Tip#4: Take leftover plastic bags back to grocery stores where they are collected to be recycled. Due to their light weight, the City does not accept plastic bags since they easily get stuck inside machinery. However, most grocery stores now offer plastic bag recycling. Here are tips to help remember to recycle plastic grocery bags:

*         Hang a cloth bag in the kitchen or garage to put excess plastic bags so it is easy to notice when leaving the house

*         When filling out a grocery list, make sure to add "recycle plastic bags"

*         Don't forget about the other light-weight plastics. Plastic film, dry cleaning bags, newspaper bags, and plastic wrap from products can be recycled at the grocery store as well

*         Toss leftover plastic bags into reusable shopping bags to remember both on the next trip to the store

Tip #5: Drop off used cooking oil and it will be processed into biodiesel fuel. Residents can easily dispose of their used cooking oil by taking it to the City's Waste Disposal & Recycling Center, 2115 E. Club Blvd., Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. or Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to noon.

For more information about recycling in Durham, visit http://durhamnc.gov/ich/op/swmd/Pages/recycling_guidelines.aspx or contact Waste Reduction Coordinator Larrisha McGill at (919) 560-4186, ext. 32227 or by email at Larrisha.McGill at DurhamNC.gov<mailto:Larrisha.McGill at DurhamNC.gov>.

About the Solid Waste Management Department
The City of Durham's Solid Waste Management Department promotes and supports a high quality of life for the residents of Durham by providing comprehensive, responsive, environmentally-safe, efficient and cost-effective solid waste collection, recycling and disposal programs. Department services include roll-out cart collection, cart delivery and repair service, cardboard collection, yard waste collection, waste reduction and recycling, bulky item pick-up, and disposal services. The Ten Year Solid Waste Management Plan, in conjunction with the City's Strategic Plan, ensures that the department provides professional management that contributes to creating thriving, livable communities and a well-managed city.  For more information, visit http://DurhamNC.gov/ich/op/swmd.

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