recycling 101 workshop - cornwall
TRANSCRIPT
Recycling 101 WorkshopCity of Cornwall Recycling Workshop
September 15th, and 19th 2019
Welcome & Workshop Overview
1. Individual Activity• What is my waste footprint?
2. System Overview• Curb to market- how your recycling gets back in the loop
• City of Cornwall Recycling Video
3. Why should I recycle?• Common myths and realities in the recycling world
4. How can I make a difference? • How one person can make an impact?
• Becoming a better recycler without getting a chemistry degree
What is Your Waste Footprint?
Take a brief moment to fill out the questionnaire in front of you.
• If you don’t have the exact numbers, take a guess
• This is anonymous, so don’t be afraid of what you may have in comparison to others
How many bags of garbage do you place out each week?
• How do you compare to the average?• Above?
• Below?
• The same?
Location Average bags per week Average kilos per week
Cornwall 2 bags 6 kilograms
Canada 6 bags 19 kilograms
World 1 bags 3 kilograms
In your garbage, how much is………
• Organic waste?• Cornwall average - 54% (163.43 kgs per year)• Canadian average - 50% (170 kgs per year)
• Styrofoam and plastic film waste?• Cornwall - 22% • Canada - 63%
• Recycling? • Cornwall - 12.36% (37.22 kgs per year)• Canada - 91% (3.2 million metric tonnes)
• Other (does anyone want to share)?• Cornwall - Hazardous waste: 7.4 tonnes per year• Cornwall - E-Waste: 6.6 tonnes per year
How many recycle boxes do you put out every week?
• Cornwall average- 1 box per week (1.39 kgs)
• Canada average- 1 box per week (0.92 kgs)
• How do you compare to the average?• Above?
• Below?
• The same?
What is the most Common thing you recycle?
• Cornwall - Newspaper and cardboard (84% of all recycling collected)
• Globally - Steel (88% of all materials recycled)
What do you think you could recycle more of?
• Cornwall - Paper and cardboard
• Canada - Single use plastic (plastic bags, straws, forks, etc)
• Globally - Plastic (#1-7) can all technically be recycled but only #1, 2, and 5’s are currently recycled.
What is an item you are unsure if it can be recycled?• Coffee cups - Yes
• Frozen juice containers - Yes
• Juice boxes - Yes
• Plastic Bags - No
• Styrofoam - No
• Chip bags/Candy wrappers - No
• Toys- No
• Pots and Pans - No
Common Recycling Myths
Myth: I don’t need to separate anything: I can throw whatever I want into the blue bin and the
City will sort it out - that’s why I pay taxes.
• Only recyclable materials should go in the blue bin.
• Rule of thumb for paper- if you can rip it, recycle it
• Rule of thumb for containers - if you can rip it, pitch it
• It costs $180.00 per year per household to run garbage and recycling services• the average home only pays $48.00- the rest is financed by
recycling revenues.
• The more garbage in the bin, the more it costs to process, the more money it costs the tax base
Myth: Recycling programs are taking jobs away from the waste industry
• The recycling industry, for every 1 tonne of recycling: • Generates 7 full time jobs,
• Creates $360,000 in wages and benefits
• Raises $700,000 in Gross Domestic Product
Myth: Products made of more then one type of material can’t be recycled
• Composite containers• Are defined as containers with more then one material type
• Highly recyclable and desired in the market as mills have the ability to make 2 different products• think Pillsbury crescent rolls
• Metal
• Cardboard
• Two of the most highly desired materials in the recycling world
• Other examples include juice boxes, cartons, and coffee cups
Myth: Everything can only be recycled once
• Glass and metal can be recycled indefinitely without loss of quality.
• The average piece of paper can be recycled 6-7 times before it is no longer useful for paper.• Paper can continue to be used after for egg cartons
or packing inserts.
• Plastic can only be recycled 1-2 times due to strict strength and food safety packaging requirements. • The biggest new market for existing recycled plastic
is lumber and asphalt.
Myth: Recycling is, at its best, a big government overreach, or at worst, a scam - it has no real
benefits to the planet
• Recycling paper saves 60% of the energy required to make new paper
• The energy saved from glass recycling saves enough energy to power a light bulb for 4 hours.
Scary Truths about Recycling
• Less than 60% of Cornwall homes participate in recycling
• Less than 30% of Cornwall businesses recycle
• The average office worker in Cornwall uses around 500 paper coffee cups in a year
• Each year over 100 billion plastic bags are used in North America
• Post Consumer Recyclable Content in new items is not mandatory
• Canada is making more recycling than the market can take, driving down pricing for commodities - meaning we are making waste faster then we buy and use items.
Why should we Recycle?
How Can I Make A Difference?
• Reduce• Reduce your consumption of products
• Make a list when you go grocery shopping• Buy items that only come in reusable or recyclable containers• Bring your own containers- Farm Boy and Bulk Barn allow it!
• Reuse• Buy reusable items, and ditch single-use items• Bring your reusable shopping bags, plates, utensils, and straws to events• Get a reusable water bottle and coffee cup• Visit a thrift store or second hand store
• Recycle• Only purchase items that are made from recycling that can be recycled again • Look for a high PCR % on the label• Try and keep count of what items are left that you have no alternatives to and write a letter
or a social media enquiry into what can be done to reduce the waste from products
You do not need a degree to recycle……even though it may feel like it!
• Try our Recycle Coach App!• Call our department if you
need help or are unsure 613-937-1777
• Email us with all your questions! [email protected]
• Book a tour to understand how things work even further!