Almost everything creates waste.  According to the US Environmental Protection Agency:  “In 1999, U.S. residents, businesses, and institutions produced more than 230 million tons of MSW, which is approximately 4.6 pounds of waste per person per day, up from 2.7 pounds per person per day in 1960.” (more from the EPA...)

Traditionally, most garbage is buried in landfills.  But landfills are filling up and closing down all over the country.  In 1986, there were 7,683 municipal solid waste landfills. A survey done in 1995, showed only 3,581.

Incineration is a poor alternative. According to The Recycler's Handbook (Earthworks Group 1990): "Even with pollution controls, incinerators are the largest new source of air pollution in most communities.  They spew out gases that contribute to acid rain.  These gases include up to 27 toxic heavy metals, acid gases, carbon monoxide and dioxins.  Additionally, incinerators produce millions of tons of toxic ash, which still have to go to landfills."

In The Solid Waste Dilemma, An Agenda for Action published by the EPA/530-SW-89-019 in 1989, integrated waste management was referred to as “the complementary use of a variety of waste management practices to safely and effectively handle the municipal solid waste stream with the least adverse impact on human health and the environment.” 

When deciding how to handle solid waste, consider the alternatives in this order:  source reduction (includes reuse), recycling, incineration then land filling.  This hierarchy has remained unchanged and is still regarded as the best way to handle solid waste. 

Source reduction, the highest goal in the solid waste management hierarchy, should be the centerpiece of every business or government procurement program.  Source reduction is first in the solid waste hierarchy.  Although recycling questions and changes how products are manufactured, it is not designed to question why they are produced.  Source reduction asks those questions:  Do we need this?  If so, can it be produced with fewer resources, take up less space or make a lighter environmental impact?  A “source reduction product” can be defined as “a product that results in a net reduction in the generation of waste compared to the previous or alternate version and includes durable, reusable and remanufactured products; products with no or reduced toxic constituents; and products marketed with no or reduced packaging”.

Sometimes source reduction comes from the product itself, e.g. lighter product packaging.  Other times, it has more to do with how the product is used.  Sometimes buying for source reduction means that several different parts of an organization must agree on policies that result in fewer or different products being purchased.  It’s time to think before buying and reduce the amount of overall waste produced in the first place.  This is called Precycling.  It is a choice to make when shopping. 

Reusing starts at the point of purchase.  Choose products that can be maintained and repaired to ensure a longer life. 

Recycling, as the word indicates, is a cyclical process. After purchasing a product and using it to its' full potential, a choice becomes evident: Throw it away or recycle it.  If there is an available market choose recycling.  According to the University of Oregon Factoids Section: 

*Every year enough energy is saved by recycling steel to supply L.A. with nearly a decade's worth of electricity.

*Making one ton of recycled paper uses only about 60% of the energy needed to make a ton of virgin paper.

*Every aluminum can that is recycled saves, 95 percent of the energy that it would have taken to manufacture a new one from bauxite. In other words, when a can is tossed in the trash as much energy is thrown away as if the can was half full of gasoline. Recycling one aluminum can to run a TV for three hours. 

*Recycling glass lowers the melting point for the new glass, saving up to 32% of the energy needed for production. 

*Recycling reduces dependence on landfills and incinerators. 

*Every year Americans throw away nearly 10 million tons of newspaper. If these papers were all recycled, over 150 million trees would be left standing, less than half as much energy would be used, and air pollution from the manufacturing process would be cut by more than 70 percent.

*America imports most of its' oil.  Saving energy by recycling means we depend less on foreign supplies and reduce environmental problems such as global warming, acid rain and oil spills directly linked to our energy use.   

Recycling reduces the amount of pollution created during the manufacturing process.  The end result is cleaner air, land, and water.  The earth's resources are finite.  Reduce, reuse or recycle to conserve valuable resources. 

In order for recycling to be successful, there must be a demand for use of recycled materials.  Colleges have a unique opportunity to demand products: made with reduced and recyclable packaging, made with recycled content and made to last, while being repairable for the long haul.

Colleges and Universities are educating future leaders.  Day-to-day operations serve as an example to students and the greater community.  Using resources efficiently and effectively, collecting materials for recycling and purchasing non-toxic recycled content products will enhance the reputation of the school, while reducing costs and contributing to a better world.

Environmental Advantages of Recycling

For every one (1) ton of paper recycled: 

    * 17 pulpwood trees are conserved

    * 500 pounds of air pollutants are not emitted

    * 12,000 gallons of processed water are conserved

    * water pollution is reduced by 40%

    * energy equivalent to 96 gallons of gasoline is conserved

    * solid waste pollution is reduced

    * 5 cubic yards of landfill space is conserved and the amount of money to process the landfill space is conserved

    Source: Garden Services Inc., Salem, Oregon

"Decomposition Rate for Trash", Nemve E. Metropolitan Diary, New York Times. October 1, 2001
For More information on the Decopmosition rate of trash go here
http://www.goerie.com/nietalkintrash/talkin__trash.html

Paper -- 2.5 months

Orange Peel --- 6 months

Milk Carton -- 5 years

Cigarette Butt -- 10-12 years

Plastic bag -- 10-20 years

Disposable diaper -- 75 years

Tin can -- 100 years

Beer can -- 200-500 years