To Recycle or Not To Recycle

22
To Recycle or Not To Recycle April Wittcop & Dan Bishop

description

To Recycle or Not To Recycle. April Wittcop & Dan Bishop. Overview. 1. Introduction. 2. Recycling Trends and Efforts. 3. Methods. 4. Results. 5. Suggestions. Introduction to Plastics. Altogether there are more than 10,000 different kinds of plastics. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Transcript of To Recycle or Not To Recycle

Page 1: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

To Recycle or Not To RecycleTo Recycle or Not To RecycleApril Wittcop & Dan Bishop

Page 2: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

OverviewOverview

1. Introduction1. Introduction

2. Recycling Trends and Efforts2. Recycling Trends and Efforts

3. Methods3. Methods

4. Results4. Results

5. Suggestions5. Suggestions

Page 3: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

Introduction to Plastics Introduction to Plastics

• Altogether there are more than 10,000 different kinds of plastics.

• It takes 20-40 percent less energy to manufacture plastic grocery bags than paper ones.

• It takes seven trucks to deliver the same number of paper bags as can be carried in one truckload of plastic bags.

• Plastics make up about 11% of American’s Municipal Solid Waste by weight.– This is approximately 25% of America’s total Municipal

Solid Waste by mass

Page 4: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

• When purchasing plastic products it is important to know which can be reused and which cannot. – (link)

        PET  Polyethylene Terephthalate Two-liter beverage bottles, mouthwash bottles, boil-in-bag pouches.

        HDPE  High Density Polyethylene Milk jugs, trash bags, detergent bottles.

         PVC Polyvinyl Chloride Cooking oil bottles, packaging around meat.

        LDPE  Low Density Polyethylene Grocery bags, produce bags, food wrap, bread bags.

        PP  Polypropylene Yogurt containers, shampoo bottles, straws, margarine tubs, diapers.

        PS  Polystyrene  Hot beverage cups, take-home boxes, egg cartons, meat trays, cd cases.

        OTHER All other types of plastics or packaging made from more than one type of plastic.

Recycling CodesRecycling Codes

Page 5: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

• PET 17.5%• HDPE 9%• PVC 0%• LDPE 2%• PP 5%• PS 1.4%• OTHER 1%

StatisticsStatistics

Page 6: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

• 32% of all Municipal Solid Waste is recycled in the United States

• 50% of all paper• 45% of aluminum drink cans• 63% of steel packaging• 67% of all major appliances• 34% of plastic bottles

– (epa.gov)

StatisticsStatistics

Page 7: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

• In Baltimore, Maryland a facility on Harris Creek has been installed to help catch the debris that would normally enter Baltimore Harbor.

• This net system currently collects approximately 5 tons per month.

• The purpose of this project is raise public awareness as to how much trash is being funneled into waterways through litter in the streets, residential, commercial and industrial areas. – http://www.container-recycling.

org/general/interceptor.htm– www.baltimorewaters.org

Trends and Efforts; Baltimore HarborTrends and Efforts; Baltimore Harbor

Page 8: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

• Gov. Eliot Spitzer has proposed an expanded bottle bill at a press conference Tuesday February 27th, 2007.– Under the expanded bottle bill, carbonated drinks would

not be the only beverages with a requires nickel deposit. The new bill would include noncarbonated bottled drinks such as iced tea, water, sports drinks and juice among others.

– The new bill would also mandate that money from unclaimed deposits go into the state Environmental Protection Fund; something grocers, convenience store operators and Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno, R, C, I – Brunswick, have voiced their opposition to

Trends and Efforts; The Bottle BillTrends and Efforts; The Bottle Bill

Page 9: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

• HARTFORD -- The proposed expansion of the state's bottle bill to include plastic water containers cleared the Finance Committee this week and could be headed to the Senate for a vote.

• The proposal, which would create a five-cent deposit on all plastic water bottles of two liters or less, cleared the Finance Committee by 35-15 vote Tuesday (April 10th). – Container-Recycling.org

Trends and Efforts; The Bottle Bill ContinuedTrends and Efforts; The Bottle Bill Continued

Page 10: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

“Surveys conducted by Procter & Gamble and others show that while most people expect

their plastic to be recycled, they won’t go out of their way or pay a few cents more to buy a

bottle made of recycled plastic.” (Energy Information Administration)

Page 11: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

• So we wanted to find out how often students at SUNY Brockport recycled their products and furthermore if they knew which products were recyclable in Monroe County.

• We hypothesized that SUNY Brockport students would recycle more plastics than the general public does because students are more aware of the results of recycling.

MethodsMethods

Page 12: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

• Then in the Seymour Student Union we surveyed everyone that would agree to listen and answer some questions.

• Then we sat back and watched as people disposed of their waste products, keeping track of which ones went where.

MethodsMethods

Page 13: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

• We asked them the following questions: – Do you know what plastics can and cannot be

recycled in Monroe County?

– Do you buy recyclable products even if they cost more?

– Have you ever taken an Environmental Science class?

– If there were recycling bins next to every garbage can, would you divide up your waste in order to put recyclables in the recycle bins?

MethodsMethods

Page 14: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

• Of the Students Surveyed:– 30% Physical Education Majors– 10% Business Majors– 10% Math Majors– 20% English Majors– 20% Environmental Science Majors– 10% Other Majors

Methods / ResultsMethods / Results

Page 15: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

• When Asked Our Survey Questions These Wear the Results: – Do you know what plastics can and cannot be recycled in

Monroe County?• 30% yes – 70% no

– Do you buy recyclable products even if they cost more?• 16% yes – 84% no

– Have you ever taken an Environmental Science class?• 30% yes – 70% no

– If there were recycling bins next to every garbage can, would you divide up your waste in order to put recyclables in the recycle bin?

• 74% yes – 36% no

ResultsResults

Page 16: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

• The percent of students that said they did know which types of plastics were recyclable was consistent with the percent of students that had taken an environmental science course.– The students that were Environmental Science majors had

a better understanding of what was recycled.

• Even though 74% of students would split up their waste to recycle what they could, most will not go out of their ways to purchase products that are recyclable to begin with (84%).

DiscussionDiscussion

Page 17: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

• When asked why students will not go out of their ways to purchase recyclable products here were some of their responses: – “I don’t really thing about that when I buy a

product.”

– “I don’t know which ones to look for.”

– “I don’t have any extra money to spend for the same product in different packaging, I go for what’s cheaper.”

DiscussionDiscussion

Page 18: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

Percent of Recycled Products Vs. Trashed Products

37%

63%RecycledTrashed

Waste Products that Should or Should Not Be Recycled

46%54%

Should BeRecycledShould NotBe Recycled

• 63% of the products disposed of by students during observation were put into the trash. The other 37% were placed into recycling.

• Only 54% of the products seen disposed of should have been placed into the trash (as per the Monroe County Recycling Regulations. 1s and 2s!)

ResultsResults

Page 19: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

• When combined, the two charts on the previous page show that approximately 9% of the recyclable products currently being sold on campus are not being recycled. – This is VERY high/good!

– However: There is an even larger percent of products that could be recycled if more recyclable products were sold/used on campus.

ResultsResults

Page 20: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

• The students that threw their products away outnumbered the students that recycled their products. – What might be a good

explanation for this activity?

– Are there any ways that we, as students, can increase the percentage of waste that gets recycled vs. going into a landfill/trash?

Percent Waste - Recycled Vs. Trashed

37%

63%

RecycledTrashed

ResultsResults

Page 21: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

• Some suggestions to raise recycling and awareness: – Require an Environmental Science class (similar to

the Contemporary Issues class requirement)

– Sell only recyclable plastics on campus

– Placement of more recycling bins; both for paper and plastic containers

– Designate what products can be recycled in which containers

SuggestionsSuggestions

Page 22: To Recycle or Not To Recycle

SuggestionsSuggestions