Fall 2011 St. Louis County Recycling newsletter

1. News
R E C y C L i N G
FALL 2011
SaiNt LouiS CouNty SeLeCted INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
as a Curbside Value Partnership Community • Did Saint Louis County meet
its 2010 waste diversion rate
Saint Louis County residents will Saint Louis County was chosen as goal of 50%?
soon be hearing a lot more about the one of its latest partners after several • Take the Zero Waste Household
convenience of curbside recycling thanks communities across the country were Challenge
to a partnership between the Curbside interviewed.
Value Partnership (CVP) and the Saint • Public Space Recycling at Many
Louis County Department of Health’s “We are pleased to have Saint Louis County Facilities
Solid Waste Management Program. County as our latest partner. The
county already has some impressive
recycling participation in some areas,”
said David Gill, CVP board chair and
take
it to the
global account director for Novelis
Corporation, an aluminum product curb
manufacturer. “We are looking forward
to working with them to develop a
unified campaign that can be used by
everyone to help elevate recycling DON’T
county-wide and increase participation FORGET:
even more.”
The
CVP has partnered with many communities to The services of CVP are provided at no following
launch successful educational campaigns. Shown cost to the county and will target those items
here: a compaign with the City of Omaha Public who don’t recycle or who recycle less can be
Works Department.
than is possible. This is a grass roots put in your
CVP is an invitation-only, national effort and we are seeking suggestions recycling cart:
program designed to help communities for civic-minded organizations or groups
grow their curbside programs through that could help support the campaign, • Aluminum and steel cans
education and increased attention to even if they are not environmentally
data. Since 2005, CVP has partnered focused. If you have a group in mind, • Clean aluminum foil, trays,
with 28 communities and four states to please call (314) 615-8958 or e-mail and pans
develop, execute, and measure effective waste.eletter.doh@stlouisco.com.
recycling education campaigns. For more information on CVP, visit • Glass bottles and jars
www.recyclecurbside.org. • Paper products, including:
newspapers, magazines, junk
mail, phone books, cardboard,
juice cartons, and cereal boxes
• Plastic containers such as:
- milk and juice jugs
- laundry and dish soap bottles
- butter and yogurt tubs
- shampoo and lotion bottles

2. 50% Waste diversion Goal …
Met and exceeded! Moving Forward
55.9%! That was Saint Louis County’s The diverted waste includes recycling,
2010 waste diversion rate based on a landfill-banned items (yard waste, tires,
review of 2010 data from solid waste appliances, etc.), and items diverted 2010 Waste Data
facilities and recycling centers. In 2005, through source reduction (reducing and
reusing). 55.9% is great progress, but we Source
a study by R.W. Beck concluded the Reduction
aren’t finished yet!
county only had a 30% waste diversion 5%
rate in 2003 and was not likely to Banned
All together, recycling accounts for Items
increase that rate without serious only 36.2% of the diverted materials, 14.7%
changes. so there remains tremendous potential Total Waste
to increase our waste diversion rate
Land ll
Diverted
After much study and planning, a goal even further just by encouraging more 44.1%
was set to increase the waste diversion 55.9%
recycling. In fact, just raising recycling Recycled
rate to 50% by 2010. As a result of recovery by 25% would give us an Items
various strategies, thousands of county overall diversion rate of almost 65%! 36.2%
residents started or expanded their
recycling efforts, asked for recycling But could we go even higher? The MARC
at their workplace, and now expect Solid Waste District in Kansas City has
set a goal of 80% waste diversion by
recycling options at festivals, stadiums, 2023. Is Saint Louis County ready for
and special events. 80% waste diversion … or more?
Next Steps … Zero Waste?
For some, the ultimate goal is “zero waste.” This doesn’t really mean “zero” waste, but rather any situation in which 10%
or less of all waste is sent to landfills. Sound impossible? It’s not. Businesses like Epson, Honda, and Pillsbury have already
achieved it at some of their sites and cities like Austin, Los Angeles, and Seattle have committed to reaching
it too. Zero waste may seem difficult, but through a multifaceted approach that includes reducing, reusing,
recycling, and composting, you can reach a waste diversion rate of 90% or more!
The zero waste philosophy includes:
1. A focus on eliminating waste rather than managing it.
2. Sustainable product design, clean production, and smart packaging.
3. Smart consumption (taking or purchasing only what is needed).
4. Thinking of waste as a potentially valuable resource worth recovering.
And what about you? Is your household close to zero waste? Are you recycling
everything that can be recycled? Think about the things you throw away in your
home. Are there ways you could prevent this from happening? Could you reuse
some of the items or could someone else reuse them? Finally, after reducing and
reusing, are you properly composting organic materials in your backyard so that you
can get closer to being a zero waste household?
Our website includes information about composting and other waste reduction
strategies that you may find helpful. See if you can meet the next challenge: become
a zero waste household.
Send us your feedback by e-mail to waste.eletter.doh@stlouisco.com and we may
choose your personal story to share on our website!

3. Recycling While on the Go
Saint Louis County’s commitment in the trash. These new green bins generated outside the home. Over
to recycling has expanded with the represent the face of recycling for 70% of all beverage containers
introduction of recycling bins in county government and continue purchased and consumed away from
public areas at many county facilities. County Executive Charlie Dooley’s home are discarded as trash when
Over the last year, the Saint Louis commitment to “greening” the convenient recycling options are not
County Department of Health has county. available.
worked to provide recycling bins in
public spaces for visitors to use. “We have been asking our residents Funding for the new public space
to recycle and it’s important they recycling bins came from a federal
Visitors to the county’s Clayton know that Saint Louis County Energy Efficiency and Conservation
campus, two health centers, and government is committed to recycling Block Grant.
recreation complexes, and the as well,” said Mr. Dooley. If you want to learn more about
MetroBus Clayton Transit Center recycling at home or work, visit
will now be able to recycle items One of the Health Department’s
next goals is to capture recyclables www.RecycleSaintLouis.com.
that previously had to be thrown
Recycle bin at the Affton White- Recycle bins at the MetroBus Clayton
Look for Recycling in Public Places
Rodgers Community Center Transit Center
Recent Gains in the industry
As of March 2011, the recyclable rebounded from the recession and
materials industry employed its future looks bright!
115,000 people nationwide,
according to the U.S. Bureau of “We know that the scrap recycling
Labor Statistics. That’s an increase industry is very healthy and poised
of 12,000 people since March 2010 to expand further,” said IRSI
– just one year before. President Robin Weiner.
In addition to expanding
employment, the recycling industry Recycling is something simple
has grown in monetary value since we can all do to divert valuable
2009, according to the Institute of materials from our landfills to
Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI). create jobs right here in St. Louis.
The reuse and recycling industry has

4. the electronics Pile-up
Did you know that consumer electronics hazardous or toxic materials from anymore! Visit ecyclestlouis.org to learn
may be responsible for 40% of the lead electronics out of the landfill and to what can be recycled and to find an e-cycle
found in landfills! Nearly two million tons recover precious metals, glass and plastic location near
of used electronics are discarded each year for new uses. you.
and an estimated 128 million cell phones
annually are retired from use. Data destruction services are available,
so don’t let fear of identity theft from
We are fortunate in our area to have personal information on a hard drive
multiple recycling outlets to keep keep you storing that old Commodore
upcoming Community electronic Recycling events:
Spectrum Ecycle Solutions: MRC Recycling ffers data destruction
Clayton US Bank services for any company or individual.
10 N. Hanley Rd. Please see their website for future
Clayton, MO 63105 recycling events at www.midwrc.net.
Chesterfield Athletic Complex
Saturday, Sep. 24th, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. WiTS: 17818 N. Outer 40 Rd
Secure data destruction on all computers Chesterfield, MO 63005
Affton US Bank Fourth Saturday of every month
dropped off for recycling. Check the 8301 Gravois Rd
Spectrum Ecycle Solutions website for 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
St. Louis, MO 63123
details about this event. First Sunday of every month Ritenour High School
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 9100 St. Charles Rock Rd
MRC Recycling: St. Louis, MO 63114
STLCC Florissant Valley Campus Sunset Hills City Hall First Saturday of every month
3400 Pershall Rd. 3939 S Lindbergh 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Ferguson, MO 63135 St. Louis, MO 63131
Third Saturday of every month WITS accepts electronics and other items.
Saturday, Oct. 1st, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. For a complete list, visit witsinc.org.
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
HHW Facility
Making Progress! By the Numbers
When will the first permanent IN THE U.S. iN MiSSOURi iN SAiNT LOUiS
Household Hazardous Waste COUNTy
Facility open? 1.1 million $265 million 90,366
We know this is a question on the minds people are employed is generated from the tons of waste were
of many residents. Unfortunately, too by the recycling and export sales of recycled reduced in 2010.
many factors are in play that could either reuse industry. goods, remanufacturing,
speed up or slow down progress, so it’s and reuse.
not possible to provide an opening date
at this time. 4 $208 million 654,360
We can report that the design phase jobs are created from is the potential value of tons of waste were
for the first site is complete and we are recycling for every one recyclable materials that recycled in 2010.
beginning the construction phase. RFPs landfill disposal job. are landfilled every year
have been issued for waste management instead of recycled.
services and the development of an
educational website – a website that
will also include a reservation system 56,000+ 25,000 797,488
to allow residents to schedule drop-off is the number of jobs have been tons of waste were
appointments. recycling and reuse created statewide landfilled in 2010.
establishments that by the recycling and
Future updates will be available on the exist across the country. reuse industry.
information line at (314) 615-8989 or
online at www.RecycleSaintLouis.com. Sources: Missouri 2010 Green Jobs Report, 2010 Saint Louis County WDR Progress Report, EIERA, Missouri
Department of Economic Development, 2008 MDNR Waste Composition Study
This newsletter and programs described herein are made possible by the voter-approved 5% surcharge on waste disposed in Saint Louis County landfills. The
Health Department uses these funds for the benefit of Saint Louis County residents. A paperless newsletter benefits the environment, and saves time and space.