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Recent changes make more plastics recyclable

Saturday February 09, 2008
Recycle all plastics numbered 1 through 7

 

By Alison Brucks

Ten years ago, on average, every person in Knox County threw away 1.02 tons of municipal waste.  That is enough to fill Neyland Stadium with trash. Can you imagine what a heap of garbage that is?

Now in Tennessee, the state law mandates that we reduce the solid waste going into landfills. The city and county have made it easy for community members to recycle. There are eleven recycling centers available in the City of Knoxville and eight convenience centers in  Knox County. 

Most of these facilities will collect and recycle almost 85 percent of the trash we produce.  Aluminum cans, steel cans, mixed paper, newspaper, clear, brown and green glass bottles, cardboard and now all plastics numbered 1 through 7 can be recycled in our area as well.  Some of these centers also recycle reusable household goods, batteries, motor oil, oil filters, tires, antifreeze and other bulky items. Locations can be found on the City of Knoxville and Knox Counties websites or you can call 865-215-JUNK. 

According to some studies, almost 85% of what we throw away can be recycled. The typical urban garbage can contains 39% paper products, 9% metal, 8% plastics, 7% glass, 7% food waste and 18% yard waste, almost all of which can be recycled or composted. 

If an item can't be reused, recycle it.  It's the next best thing. Recycling reduces the amount of trash going to our landfills, it uses less energy, produces less pollution, reduces the need to strip mine and clear cut, preserves our natural resources, helps prevent global warming and helps improve local air quality. The great words of Gandhi, "We must become the change we want to see."

Make it a habit; Recycle. 

For more information join us Tuesday, February 12 at 5:30 p.m. for our LC&G Science Café program all about Reducing, Reusing and Recycling the waste we produce. The Living Clean & Green program, Trash to Treasure, is also available for community groups. Please call 577-4717 ext. 15 for more information.

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