Recycling 101 Improving recycling at your workplace

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Recycling 101Improving recycling at your
workplace

• City of Portland
• Office of Sustainable Development

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Garbage in the City of Portland
Only a small portion 23 -- of what goes to the
landfill comes from homes. The rest is from
businesses.
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8.4
8.0
7.7
7.5
7.2
7.2
6.6
6.1
3.3
2.8
3.2
2.7
5.7
2.3
2.0
1.5
1.5
4.6
4.5
4.5
4.4
4.3
4.3
4.3
4.2
4.1
2002
2005
2003
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2004
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Metro businesses throw away 20 TONS of recyclable
paper every thirty minutes of the business day
Thats two semi-truck loads of paper every hour
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Why Recycle?

• Reduces energy use and global warming
• Reduces logging and mining
• Improves air and water quality
• Creates jobs
• Environmental benefits are much greater from
  using less

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Recycling Saves Energyand reduces global warming

• In 2005, statewide recycling activities reduced
  energy use by nearly 3.
• Equivalent of 237 million gallons of gasoline
• Equal to taking 462,500 cars off the road for a
  year

Source Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
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Benefits of using recycled materials
Benefit Aluminum Paper
Glass Reduces energy use by 90-97
23-74 4-32 Reduces air pollution by
95 74 20 Reduces water pollution by
97 35 --- Cuts mining wastes by
--- --- 80 Reduces water use by
--- 58 50
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Uses for Recycled Materials
Materials Recycled Uses Newspapergt
Newsprint, insulation, cereal boxes Cardboard and
paper bagsgt Cardboard, paper bags, shoe
boxes Office paper..gt Office paper,
gift boxes, tissue Magazines.gt
Newspaper Scrap paper..gt Corrugated
cardboard, cereal or shoes boxes, egg
cartons Glass bottles and jars..gt New
glass containers, road bed, fiberglass
insulation Aluminum cans.gt New
aluminum cans Tin (steel) cans.gt Steel
for new cans, cars, and structural
supports Plastic bottlesgt Carpets,
clothing, flower pots, detergent bottles
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What can be recycled at work?
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What can be recycled at work?
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Sorting Recyclables
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What can be recycled at work?
503-234-3000 www.metro-region.org/findrecycler
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Best Practices Recycling

• Easy to understand
• Consistent
• Plain language
• Convenient to use
• Desk-side recycling boxes, buddy system
• Central collection points
• Incentives
• Monetary
• Charity
• Include custodians, hauler, property manager
• Communicate changes
• Understand contract restrictions/limitations

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Best practices All 3 Rs
Recycled content products
Reusable office supplies
Durable dishware
Junk mail kit
Scrap paper
Deskside boxes
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Go further
Electronic file sharing and storage Paperless
fax Default double-sided printing Paper reduction
policy Sustainable purchasing policy Edit
documents electronically Green meetings no box
lunches/durable dishware
No individual garbage containers Reused/refurbishe
d furniture Green cleaning products Donate
surplus items Regularly update mailing
lists Green Team Recognition
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Increase participation

• Raise awareness through campaigns
• Create policies that support recycling
• Make sustainability standard practice

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Resources
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Recycle at Work

• 503-823-7037
• www.portlandonline.com/OSD

Master Recycler Program
www.masterrecycler.org