Recycling help, tips and resources

• In 1999, recycling and composting activities prevented about 64 million tons of material from ending up in landfills and incinerators. Today, this country recycles 32.5% of its waste, double the rate in 1984.
• Recycling has grown in general, recycling of specific materials has grown even more drastically: 52% of all paper, 31% of all plastic soft drink bottles, 45% of all aluminum beer and soft drink cans, 63% of all steel packaging, and 67% of all major appliances are now recycled.
• 20 years ago, only one curbside recycling program existed in the United States, which collected several materials at the curb. By 2006, about 8,660 curbside programs had sprouted up across the nation. As of 2005, about 500 materials recovery facilities had been established to process the collected materials.

• For every ton of paper that is recycled, 17 trees live. Think about it – 17 more trees for shade, for critters to live in, and to absorb CO2 .  You can recycle most paper, including white office paper, newspaper and mixed-color paper, through a local curbside recycling program.

Source: EPA

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• Recycle at home. Find out if there is a recycling program in your community. If so, participate in the program by separating and putting out your recyclables for curbside pickup or taking them to your local drop-off or buy-back center.
• Recycle organic waste.
• Recycle the ubiquitous cell phones, PDAs and appliances.
  
• Shop smarter. Use products in containers that can be recycled in your community and items that can be repaired or reused. Also, support recycling by buying and using products made from recycled materials.

• Recycle on the Go! Look for recycling places in public spaces. If you can't find a recycling place, ask the responsible authority to look into installing one so you can recycle on the go.