All of us at GJ CRI would like to thank our recyclers for your diligent efforts throughout the year in providing us with only the materials we can actually recycle.  When we added #5 plastic, polypropylene (PP), to our mix one of our concerns was that people would start putting any and all types of plastic into their containers.  That has not happened!  Please continue to recycle only your #1, #2 and #5 plastics while we investigate domestic markets for the rest (#3, #4, #6 & #7.)

Only Small Household Containers, Please!

The #2 and #5 containers we can accept include food, drink and other household containers, five (5) gallons and under.  Please, no furniture, toys, storage bins, trash cans, etc.

Marketing in the U.S.

Our objective in recycling any commodity is to market within the United States.  This supports our national economy by generating additional U.S. jobs and supplying domestic industry with needed feedstock.  It also ensures that potentially harmful waste is properly disposed of and not thrust upon workers and the environments of developing countries.  In the case of PP #5 our primary market in Saint Cloud, Minnesota  will flake and/or pelletize the material we send.  The end product will be sold, distributed and eventually manufactured into new consumer goods.

     PP #5 plastic is not a major component of the plastics waste stream.  Since July of this year participants have generated 4000 pounds of this commodity.  As participants have become accustomed to looking for this particular type of plastic the quantities have been steadily increasing.  Watch for #5 plastics in pill bottles, cups, yogurt containers, and the like.

Paper Collection

Our paper collection program includes white or pastel office quality paper, envelopes, magazines, catalogs, opened junk mail (please remove sheets of sticky return address labels), shredded paper and, of course, newspaper.  The newest item we can accept is paperback books, which can be added to the paper mix. Three local non-profits now receive support through our paper recycling program: Partners, Inc., C.L.A.W.S., and the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens.  This year the non-profits have received over $2000.00 in revenue from paper donated at our drop off. 

Program Growth

Growth in residential household participation has been steady throughout the year with 282 new households having signed up as of mid-November. While some recycling centers have reported decreases of as much as 30% in the amount of material coming into their facilities, we have instead held steady in 2011. As of the end of October, we had recycled 1,693 tons of material and anticipate reaching 2,020 tons by year’s end.

One material stream that has shown an increase this year is glass, volumes of which are up by 6% over previous years.  Historically, glass as a commodity resulted in a net loss of revenue, due to the low prices paid by markets and high collection, processing and trucking costs.  Renewed industry interest in the use of sorted and crushed glass (cullet) has resulted in a recent market uptick in pricing.   It has been a long time coming and we are pleased that glass now supports itself from a revenue standpoint. 

 Looking Ahead

The goal for 2012 is to secure reliable domestic markets for the plastics we cannot currently recycle.  In our continuing quest to divert all we can from land filling we are looking forward to another banner year in 2012. 

                                    Thank you!

Once again, the changing demands of the paper recycling industry affect what we can accept for recycling this holiday season.

Please do not set out gift wrap, gift bags, bows, ribbons, foiled greeting cards or photographs. 

Cardstock type gift cards may be included with paper items. 

As always, keep chipboard (paperboard) separate from non-glossy corrugated cardboard and other paper items.

Please plan to dispose of your Christmas tree at the compost facility at the Mesa County Landfill after Christmas.           

 Thank you.

Giving the Bag the Boot

Imagine 12 million barrels of oil...that’s what it takes to produce the 100 billion plastic bags Americans use once and then throw away every year!  Less than 5% of all those bags are recycled.  The rest are landfilled, incinerated or left blowing in the wind, littering our trees and open spaces and causing terrible hazards for sea life.  “Out of sight, out of mind?” That is wishful thinking, because plastic bags won’t biodegrade in the environment and will never break down in a the landfill, either.  The nightmare of the plastic bag will remain for your children, grandchildren and for many generations to come.  The cycle should stop and it needs to stop with us.

That paragraph sums up the premise behind the move by several Colorado communities to discourage or put an outright ban on one time use bags.  Muddying the issue is the assertion by ban opponents that, in terms of energy consumption, paper bags are just as bad.  The solution is to make reusable bags the only sensible option for consumers.  In 2009 a Senate bill which would have banned retail use of plastic bags statewide was defeated.  The effort is continuing on a local level.

Here’s what is happening:

Telluride has banned the distribution of plastic bags by retail stores.

Aspen and Carbondale have passed bans on plastic bags at local grocery stores and placed a .20 cent per bag fee on paper bags.

Basalt recently passed a measure which calls for a .20 cent fee on both paper and plastic bags.              

The City of Boulder is considering similar bans and fees.

A grassroots campaign, called Durango Bag it,  is currently underway to pressure that city to adopt a ban on plastic bags.

Program changes

The City of Montrose will end its curbside recycling collection program as of the first of the year, having found that the service, “free” to residents, was unaffordable.

Until further notice Durango residents will be unable to recycle plastics at that city’s drop off locations, after employees became ill while baling plastics at their facility. This is a great example of why we ask  GJ CRI customers to rinse and drain containers. The combination of fumes from different cleaners, solvents, etc. can create serious health hazards.

Facts and Tidbits

 Think your participation might not matter? Here are some facts related to the energy and resource savings associated with the 1,693 tons of material GJ CRI recycled January through October:

                  1,693 tons of material is equivalent to:

· 28,728 mature trees

· 12,992 barrels (545,680 gallons) of oil

· 8,379,000 gallons of water

· 3,879,142 Kilowatts of energy

· 26,600 lbs. of coal

· 9,525 cubic yards of landfill space

Just imagine what we can achieve…together!