OCCU Green Team Resources

2010

First of all, why Recycle?

• Recycling conserves natural resources

• Saves energy

• Reduces garbage disposal costs

• Reduces environmental pollution• Reduces environmental pollution

• Creates jobs in local industries instead of

distant mines.

First let’s start with PAPER

• Paper takes up over 54

tons of Lane county’s

garbage. That’s 20% of

garbage a year that

doesn’t need to be in

• First, we are shredding

paper that doesn’t need

to be, and therefore

paying $$$ when we

don’t have to. doesn’t need to be in

the waste stream. Paper

is our main resource we

use at work, so it’s only

fair we concentrate on

that.

don’t have to.

Easiest things to do with paper

• Only shred paper that has

confidential information. Create a

new bin or basket for non-

shredable paper. See if you can

reuse it first. Flip it over and print

on the other side, make scratch

paper out of it, THEN recycle in

• Saves $$ by not

shredding when not

needed.

• Save $$ by not buying paper out of it, THEN recycle in

non-shred bin.

Save $$ by not buying

paper and scratch pads.

What Paper can be recycled?

• Newspaper, magazines, phone books,

computer paper, cardboard (non-waxy), and

mail!

Common paper products thrown in

the recycle bin that CAN NOT be

recycled• Single use coffee cups

• Wax covered paper plates

• Plastic coated cardboard

• Any juice or milk containers SMALLER than a ½ gallon

• Remember, these are NOT recyclable in the co-mingle

Plastics

THINK:

BOTTLES TUBS AND JUGS

Plastic Do’s and Don’ts

• Think 6 ounces or bigger

• ALL recyclables MUST be

clean! This is a MUST!

• No plastic utensils, remember,

Bottles, Tubs and JugsBottles, Tubs and Jugs

• It is always better to use a reusable water bottle, but if you

must buy bottled, you can now receive a deposit for bottled

water!

• Look at the bottom of the container, if it has a

#6, it can not be recycled.

Co-mingle Plastic No-No’s

• No caps or lids

• Plastic bags CAN NOT go in the co-mingle

• No Styrofoam-like products

• No microwave cookware• No microwave cookware

• No take out containers

• No Bubble wrap

Metal• Food and beverage cans only.

• Aluminum Foil CAN be recycled if it is CLEAN

and crumpled into a ball no smaller than your

fist.

• Try and keep the lids on when opening, this way it has more

of a chance of getting picked up by the magnet when it goes

through recycle.

• No need to remove labels!

Glass is easy!!• No need to remove labels or rings!

• Think Bottles and Jars

• Glass needs to be separated from the rest of the co-mingle. There should be separate bins for glass collection.

• Also, no broken glass

A few more things to NOT put in the

Co-Mingle

• Auto product containers (gas, oil, antifreeze

etc)

• Garden products (Such as fertilizers or

pesticides)pesticides)

• Aerosol cans

• Cleaning product containers (Any container

with a CAUTION or A WARNING label)

• Paint or stain containers

Just because it can’t go in the Co-Mingle,

doesn’t mean it can’t be recycled.

• The Co-Mingle system is set up for easy recycling for

everyone. Just because you can’t put it in the co-mingle,

doesn’t mean you can’t recycle it or compost it. The way

that the collection bins are set up, it needs to be easy and

therefore it is not perfect. If you are interested in learning therefore it is not perfect. If you are interested in learning

about further recycling of other products, please let me

know, there are unlimited resources available!

Why it’s important• In Eugene, 60% of waste comes from businesses,

However businesses only recycle at a rate of 28%.

• Our recycle is sent to Portland. If it is not clean, it will

make the trip back to Eugene and be thrown in the

landfill. It is imperative that our recycle is CLEAN.

• We CAN help stop this:• We CAN help stop this:

Our planet is at a tipping point. We only

have so many resources we can use before

it’s all gone. We owe it to our children’s

children to have the opportunities and

quality of environment that we have now.