Beautify our Communities:

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Beautify our Communities How to Recycle, Reduce,
and Reuse Community Waste
Presented by Carmenlita Chief,
B.S. Environmental Specialist Navajo Nation Solid
Waste Management Program
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What does it mean to recycle?

• Definition
• It simply means to take an old product (that
  would otherwise be thrown away as trash) and
  reusing it or its materials by turning it into a
  new product. Part of recycling also includes
  purchasing recycled products that contain
  post-consumer content.

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What happens to my recyclables?
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Reducing Your Solid Waste

• What does it mean to reduce?
• Reducing means preventing unnecessary waste. It
  is also called source reduction.

• This can be accomplished by
• Purchasing durable long-lasting goods
• Purchasing products that have less packaging and
  wrapping. Avoid buying products with unnecessary
  packing!

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Reusing Materials

• If its broken, fix it!
• This could be a great opportunity to spend
  quality time with your kids and grandkids and
  help them build problem-solving or repairing
  skills.

• Another mans trash is another mans treasure.
• Donate to local charities or have a yard sale
  with your family or neighbors.

Donate!

• Spend wisely.
• This means buying products that can be used time
  and time again. This can save money in the long
  run.

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Who is involved?
Recycling Facilities
Manufacturers
Individuals
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Why recycle?

• Our Natural Resourcesso precious!

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Because recycling could help to clean up our
reservation!
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The Benefits of Recycling

• It saves natural resources.
• It saves energy.
• It saves money.
• It minimizes the amount of trash in your
  community.
• It minimizes the amount of trash going into
  area landfills.
• It helps to reduce air, land, and water
  pollution.
• Youre protectingMother Earth!

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What materials are recyclable?
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Paper

• Paper products make up the largest portion of our
  waste stream at 40!
• Luckily, it is one of the most easiest type of
  recyclable material to recover.
• Schools, businesses, and offices are the main
  institutions that contribute significantly to the
  paper waste stream.

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Paper What is recyclable?

• Most commonly recycled items
• Newspaper
• Corrugated Cardboard
• White Office/Computer Paper

Newsprint is recycled into newspapers, paper egg
cartons, cereal boxes, cellulose insulation, and
acoustical ceiling tiles.
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Paper What is also recyclable?

• Magazines
• Catalogs
• Chipboard
• Envelopes
• Junk Mail
• Shredded Paper
• Folders

Junk mail creates 4 million tons of unnecessary
waste every year!
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Paper Recycling Facts

• One ton of recycled office paper saves
• 380 gallons of oil
• 60 pounds of air pollutants from being released
• 7,000 gallons of water
• 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space

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Glass What is recyclable?

• Food containers and jars
• Beverage containers and bottles

If not recycled, a glass container will spend a
million years in a landfill before it will even
begin to decompose or break down.
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Glass What is NOT recyclable?

• automotive glass (i.e. windshields)
• window glass
• crystal
• heat-resistant ovenware (i.e. Pyrex)
• light bulbs
• tempered glass
• ceramics and china

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Metals What is recyclable?

• Non-Ferrous
• Aluminum
• Stainless Steel
• Brass
• Copper

• Ferrous
• Light Steel
• Heavy Steel
• Iron

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Cans Preparation for Recycling

• Aluminum and steel (also called tin) cans are
  the easiest metal materials to collect and
  recycle.
• Aluminum cans Rinsing is recommended but not
  required.
• Steel cans Rinse out all food debris. Removing
  labels and flattening are optional.

The average household throws away 2 lbs. of steel
which, if recycled, would save enough energy to
keep a 60-watt bulb burning for 2 days!
One recycled aluminum can saves enough energy to
power a TV for 3 hours!
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Plastic Coding System

• A numeral coding system was implemented to help
  recyclers and collectors identify the different
  types of plastic used for products.
• Only 6 types are used in at least 90 of plastic
  packaging and products. However, the coding
  system ranges from 1 7.

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Take heed!

• Caution!
• Just because a plastic product has an assigned
  number code doesnt always mean that your local
  recycling center/program will accept it!
• Reminder Ask before you drop it off!

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Plastic What is recyclable?

• 1 PETE plastic bottles

Comes in the form of Beverage bottles (water,
soda, juice), mouthwash, salad dressing bottles,
shampoo/conditioner bottles Recycled into
clothing fibers, tote bags, furniture, carpet,
new beverage containers
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Plastic What is recyclable?
2 HDPE plastic bottles
Comes in the form of Milk and water jugs, juice
bottles, detergent/bleach bottles. Recycled
into detergent, oil, and vitamin bottles drain
pipes, recycling bins, dog houses, plastic lumber
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Auto What is recyclable?

• Used Motor Oil
• Used Car Batteries
• Used Tires
• Most auto supply stores accept used motor oil
  and used car batteries for recycling. Call your
  nearest Checker Auto Parts or AutoZone for
  information.

Used motor oil and car batteries contain toxins
and acids that can leach into soil and ground
water sources if they are improperly dumped. It
only takes one gallon of motor oil to contaminate
1 million gallons of fresh water.
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• Inkjet Cartridges

• Cell Phones
• Cellular and wireless phone recycling prevents
  toxic elements and heavy metals from building up
  in landfills . Lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium,
  beryllium, antimony and nickel can all be found
  in wireless phones and other electronic devices.

• Each year, over 600 million inkjet cartridges are
  consumed in the U.S. Most is recycled but the the
  majority ends up in landfills.
• Recycling inkjet cartridges can help a local
  organization save money. For more info, visit
• www.envirosolutionsllc.com

• Rechargeable Batteries
• There are four kinds of rechargeable batteries
  nickel-cadmium (Ni-CD), nickel metal hydride,
  lithium ion, and small-sealed lead . If not
  recycled, these metals could end up in the
  landfill.
• Visit www.rbrc.org/call2recycle/

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Any Questions?
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Contact Information

• Carmenlita Chief
• Environmental Specialist
• Solid Waste Management Program
• P.O. Box 2457
• Window Rock, AZ 86515
• Phone [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• Email recyclenavajonation_at_gmail.com