Harnett County Schools

Local and Global Benefits of Developing a Recycling Program

Trash Production

Americans dispose of approximately 200 million tons of trash every day.

Around 1/3 of waste generated in the U.S. is packaging.

Landfills

Landfills

Numerous toxic substances in landfills pose a threat to human health if released.

Modern landfills contain liners and leachate collection systems.

Landfills opened in NC prior to 1993 were not equipped with collection systems.

Harnett County Waste Generation

90,916 tons/year 2007-2008 (NC DWM).

1,707 lbs per capita disposal rate.

2009 Harnett County Recycling

Rank (out of 100 counties): 94 Total Tonnage: 919 Population: 109,637 Per Capita Recovery: 16.76 lbs.

1st Place: Pitt County with 610.24 lbs/person

(NC DENR)

Accepted Co-Mingled Recyclables

White paper Green, brown, and clear glass Paperboard such as cereal boxes, shoeboxes Plastic Bottles #1 through #5 Aseptic juice boxes Gabled-top paper cartons, such as milk cartons Metal food cans (no food residue) Aluminum beverage cans Aluminum foil (no food residue) Six-pack plastic rings Junk mail and catalogs

Harnett County Recycling Locations

Harnett County Landfill/Transfer Station/Recycling Center Locations:

Dunn/Erwin Facility - 499 Daniels Road, Dunn Anderson Creek Facility - 1086 Poplar Drive, Spring Lake

Convenience/Recycling Center Locations: Johnsonville Convenience Center -501 Brooks Mangum

Road, Cameron Bunnlevel Convenience Center - 444 Sanderfer Road,

Bunnlevel Mamers Convenience Center - 5375 Old US 421, Lillington Northwest Convenience Center - 1260 Cokesbury Road,

Fuquay Varina Recycling Center Only

Campbell Unversity Recycling Center - Kivett Street, Buies Creek

Why Recycle?

“The mission of Harnett County Schools is to educate students in a safe environment empowering them to focus on lifelong learning, responsible citizenship, and global awareness.”

Pollution Prevention

1. Reduce2. Reuse

3. Recycle

Energy Conservation: Recycled vs. New

Aluminum: 5% Plastic: 66% Glass: 70% Paper: 60%

Benefits of Recycling: Paper

For every ton of paper recycled, the following are saved: 17 trees 275 pounds of sulfur 350 pounds of limestone 9,000 pounds of steam 60,000 gallons of water 225 kilowatt hours 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space

Recycling 14 trees worth of paper reduces air pollutants by 165,142 tons.

Benefits of Recycling: Metals

One of the materials that is easiest and fastest to recycle is aluminum. Aluminum cans can be recycled and reused within 60 days.

Used aluminum cans can be recycled and used in various products like vehicle parts, sliding shutters for windows and doors, etc.

Preparing aluminum products from virgin metal consumes close to 100 times the power required to recycle aluminum.

Four pounds of bauxite can be saved with every pound of aluminum recycled.

Bauxite Mining

Benefits of Recycling: Plastic

Almost every hour, nearly 250,000 plastic bottles are dumped.

Plastic bottles constitute close to 50% of recyclable waste in the dumps.

The average time taken for a plastic bottle to decompose in a landfill is close to 700 years.

North Pacific Trash Gyre

Estimated to contain around 3 milliontons of plastic in an area twice the size of Texas.

Benefits of Recycling: Glass

Glass be recycled infinitely without deterioration in quality.

Recycled glass, or “cullet”, has increased in demand because it costs less than new raw materials and uses less electricity.

Recycling Business in North Carolina

As raw, virgin materials become more scarce and costly, companies rely more on recycled goods.

Rise in number of recycling businesses from 306 (1994) to 581 (2008).

14,490 people employed by recycling industry (2008). A 13% increase over 4 years.

Assuming average wage of $25,000/year, $377 million payroll for North Carolina.

Clear Path Recycling

Fayetteville Largest PET recycling plant in North

America when fully operational. Will produce 280 million lbs of

plastic resin per year from recycled bottles.

Currently employs 57 workers, with 25 more to be hired when new line opens.

Conclusion

Reduce & Reuse, then Recycle. Sustainability, Responsibility,

Stewardship Become more competitive as a

county. Environmental benefits

Energy savings Pollution Ecosystem effects