Originally published Oct 19/16 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

A recent video clip of recycling in Germany versus America was shared on the Flin Flon Recycling Facebook page. It shows how recycling is serious business in Germany but not really in America.

It implies that most North Americans put things in the garbage and never think of it again.

A resident of Germany describes the different colours of bags for different kinds of recyclables. He states that a garbage bag with recyclables in it will not be picked up. It states that Germany recycles 65% of its waste and uses 50% less energy than America.

The question is “How do we make change happen?”

Many argue that education and opportunity to recycle is all that’s needed. There is some evidence of this works.

There were a limited number of garbage and recycling cans at the Snowbirds event this summer and there wasn’t much litter afterwards to clean up. Most beverage containers were in recycling bins.

Several Creighton residents report they started recycling because there is free pickup.

Recycle Everywhere provides free recycling bins for public spaces and beverage container recycling rates in Manitoba are increasing.

The Facebook video clip argued that rules requiring recycling makes change happen.

The province of Nova Scotia has had laws requiring recycling and composting for many years.

Some cities and towns including The Pas require residents to buy a tag for their garbage bags and recycling pickup is free.  Other cities and towns have fines for recyclables in garbage.

Many people recycle because it is the right thing to do.

Policy change is needed to get the rest of the people recycling.

It reduces landfill costs and saves resources for our grandchildren. 

September  total – 36,277 kg
        Newsprint – 1,362 kg
        Co-mingled* - 10,602 kg
        Office Paper – 4,053 kg
        Cardboard – 17,443 kg
        Glass – 2,290 kg
        Books -  527 kg
       

Total for 2016 – 332,779 kg
Total for 2015 (Sept)  – 344,641 kg
Difference - - 11,862 kg

* Co-mingled is unsorted materials sent to Winnipeg for sorting

11.3 MT of eWaste was shipped September 22. 
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Comments - we are now almost 12 MT behind last year. The co-mingled materials coming from homes is still up almost 8 MT. Newsprint is down almost 4 MT, Cardboard is down by 9.5, glass; 2 and books by almost 4 MT. 

A couple of other things may increase tonnage. There are plans for a recycling trailer at the Paradise Landfill next year and hopefully a recycling program in Denare Beach.  

We will be increasing our promotion of recycling to businesses and have been talking with the City of Flin Flon about dumpster fees. 

Originally published Oct 12/16 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

*Denare Beach residents will decide if they want to support recycling with the municipal election this month. The question released last month is not a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. It asks if people support paying an additional fee to cover the costs of recycling.

I am not very optimistic. Most people have a hard time saying yes to paying out more money. I was hoping the Village Council would support recycling from taxes like Creighton and Flin Flon. I know it all comes from the same place, but it feels different.

*Overall recycling tonnage continues to go down but the amount of recycling coming from homes is up by almost 8 metric tons. That is a good thing.

*The household hazardous waste collection that usually takes place at Centoba Park one afternoon in September didn’t happen this year. The City of Flin Flon has applied for funding for a year round hazardous depot at the landfill. It will mean that hazardous waste items can be dropped off any time the Flin Flon landfill is open.

I had hoped it would open this fall, but the application process has taken longer than expected.

*Another load of electronic waste was shipped in September. The Recycling Centre accepts a variety of electronic items including computers and everything attached to them, sound systems, televisions, telephones, photocopiers. The only appliance accepted is microwaves.

A complete list is available at www.recycleMYelectronics.ca.

*A load of semi tires was shipped from the Flin Flon landfill last month. Tires are made into a variety of things including paving material for roads.
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Keep up with the news on our facebook page, Flin Flon Recycling or on the web www.flinflonrecycling.org. 

Originally published Oct 5/16 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

Several times I find myself asking ‘why’. Here are a few examples.

1. Why do people buy bottled water?
      - Cities and towns spend lots of tax money to build and run water treatment plants that make sure the water is safe and good.
     -  Buying a bottle of water means that bottle is used once then thrown away or recycled. It is also very expensive. 
       -      There are many kinds of reusable water bottles that can be filled from the tap and used over and over again, reducing waste.
       -  If water quality is a problem outside of towns, using large refillable water containers like the ones used for water coolers is the best way to reduce waste.
 
2. Why do people dump garbage in the bush?
      - The short straight forward answer is because they either lazy, too cheap or both. 
    - There is a lot of information about where and how to dispose of things responsibly. Check our website at www.flinflonrecycling.org. The info is on the Recycle and Landfill tabs. A call to the Recycling Centre can also provide information of how to dispose of things properly.
     - There are no tipping fees for things that are recycled from the landfill. Loads with only tires, metal, used oil/antifreeze and their containers, or car batteries get in free.
 
3.  Why are so many households still not recycling?
    -Our survey in the spring included 80 from people who are not recycling. The main reason checked off for not recycling was ‘I just haven’t gotten around to it yet.’  Now is a good time to start. There are pictures recyclable items on our facebook page ‘Flin Flon Recycling’. 

Originally published  Sept 28/16  The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

Every time I see an aluminium can in the garbage I cringe. In my opinion, it should be illegal to throw them away.

I did some research and found that recycling aluminium is a very simple process which uses 95% less electricity than making it from scratch.

To put that in perspective, recycling one aluminium can saves enough energy to light one 100 watt light bulb for 20 hours or power one laptop for over 5 hours.

There are other environmental issues that make recycling aluminium a much better idea.

Making aluminium from the raw material called bauxite requires lots of cheap electricity so aluminium plants have large hydroelectric dams close by. These dams cause major damage to the natural flow of rivers.

Fluoride is the main chemical used in making aluminium. The process results in several toxic left overs that contain fluoride. These may be released into the environment, usually as gases into the air. In countries with poor regulations and reporting laws, there can be considerable health problems for workers and pollution in the environment. This has been documented in several places.

Aluminium is made in many parts of the world.  China is the largest producer.  

Aluminium can be recycled over and over again. A recycled can may become another aluminium can within 60 days.

According to Wikipedia, Brazil recycles the most at 98% of its aluminium cans. The US recycled 31%.

If it is not recycled, an aluminium can will take 500 years to break down.

Recycling aluminium is easy and so environmentally friendly, it should be illegal to throw aluminium cans away.

So if you see any, be sure to get them into a recycling bin.

Originally published  Sept 21/16 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

Over the summer we have researched the idea of banning single use plastic bags. It seems to be a good idea because of litter problems and the effects of plastic collecting in oceans.  

A friend sent an article comparing the effect on the environment of using a plastic bag and a reusable cotton bag. The cotton bag needed to be used 393 times to equal the effect on the environment of using one plastic bag three times. It counted the environmental impact of making each bag including the carbon emissions and fertilizer from growing the cotton.

If the reusable bag isn’t cotton, the big picture is much better.  

It seems so complicated!

Scientists continue to discover how complicated and interactive the Earth’s systems are. Much of the mess we have is because we don’t understand this and/or we don’t care. Most people are focused on convenience and making money.

Our economic system is also very complicated. I read of a power company canceling its solar power program for households because with so many people producing their own power the company wasn’t making as much money.

It may feel like ‘Why should I change anything? It won’t make a difference anyway.’

Consider this. I purchased 6 reusable shopping bags in 1989. As a result I have used at least 5,000 fewer plastic bags.

The effects of your efforts do add up.

Some changes seem too tough, but without change the consequences will be even tougher.

So do something. Be informed. Continue to make changes.

Reduce how much of everything you use. Reuse and recycle what you can.

Think globally about how things affect the earth. Act locally in your home and community. 

Originally published Sept 14/16 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

I purchased a plastic tote with a lid the other day that was made from 100% recycled plastic. The label stated that 2.9 litres of oil was saved by using recycled plastic.

Saving resources is a major reason recycling is good for the environment.
What kinds of things do the items you recycle become?

Cascades Recovery is the company recyclables are sent to in Winnipeg.  They send materials on for recycling into new products.

Cardboard is made into new cardboard or boxboard like cereal boxes.

Boxboard is made into new boxboard.

Newspapers become new newspapers, magazines or boxboard.

Books become fibre trays for shipping fruit.

Milk cartons, juice boxes (Tetra Paks) and office paper are recycled into tissues like ‘Kleenex’, toilet paper, etc.

Aluminum cans become new aluminium cans.

Pop bottles and clam shell food containers (#1 plastic) become fibres for carpets and fleece clothing.  

Milk jugs (#2 plastic) are reground to make new #2 plastic containers and car parts.

Tin is smelted to become new tin, or to make car parts.

Other plastics are recycled into new plastic like the tote I purchased.

Most recycling happens in mills in the Midwest or southern United States and Eastern Canada.
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You can support recycling by buying items made from recycled materials. Check the labels of containers and paper products for information about recycled content.

Did you know the recycling symbol is called a Mobius loop? It is used on plastics to indicate what chemicals have been mixed with the plastic during manufacturing. This is important information in the recycling process.

Recycling means we take less from the earth and need less space for landfills. It is worth it.