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 ARC NEWS |
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Wednesday, March 8
ARC Supports the "New" Latta Recycling Coaltion !
 |  | | Latta Recycling Coalition | |
Officers of the newly established “Latta Recycling Coalition” from Latta High School introduced themselves at ARC's monthly in March. Beth Nevland (President), Breanna Hill (Vice President) and Casey Morgan (Secretary/Treasurer) explained why they thought it was important for their school to recycle and what their goals are to increase recycling. They also gave props to their sponsor, Mrs. Wood, for her help and encouragement and to Latta’s administration for their support. The club’s first order of business is to support a magazine drive for elementary students and to award the winning classroom with a pizza party. They would also like to set out at least 38 containers throughout the high school for collecting recyclables and to expand the program into the elementary. During April, which is “Earth Month,” they plan to announce daily recycling facts, i.e. “Please rinse plastic bottles and remove lids before recycling.”
Barbara Young stated that she was really pleased that they were willing, especially as seniors, to take on such a program and that it would be a great legacy to leave their school. She also said that it sets a great example to others. Stan Fullingim, recycling coordinator, suggested using donated boxes and drums to collect recyclables which they were eager to accept. ARC gave $200 to the Latta Recycling Coalition for start-up funds to support their efforts and donated ten bird feeders to the group to be used for fund raising with the option of giving them more if they are willing and able to sell them. They were also given a box pencils made from newspaper to use for promotional purposes.
Recycling Platform
Miranda Ellis, an ECU Student and past ARC essay winner, is a contestant in the Miss Ada pageant. Miranda has selected "recycling" as her platform!
The pageant will be February 16 at 7 pm at the Cougar Activity Center. If you would like to support Miranda, there will be a time for the audience to vote for "People's Choice." Votes will cost $1 each. Tickets for the pageant will go on sale Feb 1 at JaCheJe's and at Zachary's.
Ellen Bussert speaks at Latta High School
Ellen Bussert, Ada Recycling Coalition Board Member and expert recycler, spoke with Mrs. Oakley’s Marketing Entrepreneur class at Latta High School Friday (Jan 21) about the importance of recycling and how students can help increase recycling. She also gave them about three business ideas for their DECA Club and really hopes they do the "Locker Clean Out" event in the spring that she suggested.
Wednesday, November 17
APWA clears way for new recycling center
The Ada Public Works Authority voted unanimously at its regular meeting Monday night to approve a bid on the construction of the new recycling center.
The previous recycling center at 326 East 12th Street was destroyed by a tornado on May 15, 2003. The new recycling facility, approximately 13,000 square feet in size, will be constructed on the same spot. The winning bid of $242,000 was submitted by B&B Builders of Shawnee.
Before the new recycling structure is built, City crews will construct the foundation, ramps, sidewalks, and other necessary groundwork.
Wednesday, September 8
ARC Accepts $2500 Donation
|  | | Linn Paper donates $2500 ! | |
John Cartwright, Linn Stock Paper Inc., presented ARC with a donation of $2500 and updated members on current recycling conditions. He said that 2004 has been a very strong year for recycling with stable and mostly high-end pricing and that corrugated paper has not fluctuated much at all. Paper mills are running well mostly because China is buying recycled material at a steady pace; keeping prices up. Mr. Cartwright explained that the two types of plastics accepted in Ada (PET #1 soda jugs) and (HDPE #2 milk jugs) are two very different products and are recycled at two different types of mills. Companies use #1 plastics to manufacture carpets and #2 plastics are used to make items such as railroad ties.
Pictured here is: Betty Parham, Marie Wilson, Garmon Smith, John Cartwright, Dr. Phil Kaiser. Back row: Frank Beck and Dr. Robert Ford.
Dear Editor:
This letter is in response to a Sounding Board request that was made last week about some recycling issues. The request was made to the Ada Recycling Coalition, and I will try to provide satisfactory answers, although the recycling trailers are managed by the City of Ada Recycling Program. Although there are five recycling drop-off trailers located throughout the city, it is requested that all shredded paper be dropped off at the center located at 326 East 12th Street. Due to the volume of shredded paper being recycled, there will be an additional large blue collection unit placed at this center for shredded paper. Since this paper is usually contained in large bags, it takes up too much room in the trailer locations to allow for large amounts to be recycled at the other locations. SO TAKE YOUR SHREDDED PAPER TO EAST 12th STREET.
As for the additional collection unit for other plastics, there is just not adequate space in these recycling trailers to accommodate the collection of this material, which is just considered trash for Ada’s recycling program. Again, the 12th Street site can provide for the placement of these non-recyclable plastic items, but we would prefer that you not recycle any plastics at the drop-off centers except pop/soda bottles, milk/water/juice jugs and detergent bottles. These containers will all have a number “1" or “2" on the bottom of the container located within the universal recycling symbol. The other numbered plastics are not recyclable in this area and need to be disposed of properly. As for the Wal-Mart, and other vendors, plastic bags, they can be recycled by taking them to your local Wal-Mart store and placing them in the big box provided just inside the store’s entrance. Just ask the Wal-Mart greeter, and they will be happy to help you with recycling your bags. SO TAKE YOUR PLASTIC WAL-MART BAGS BACK TO WAL-MART.
Thank you for interest and efforts in recycling all the materials you can within the scope of the City of Ada Program. We request your future support by encouraging others to recycle with you. Recycling has made a difference in the amount of waste going to our landfill, and it has provided revenue for the city program and recycled materials for Oklahoma industries. You can obtain more information about recycling at our website: www.eteamz.com/sites/AdaRecyclingCoalition.
Garmon Smith, Chairman, Ada Recycling Coalition
New recycling sites
The City of Ada has added two more recycling drop-off sites, bringing the total to five. Pictured here is the new site at Cougar Plaza on Cradduck Road. Another new location was added at North Hills Center near Tractor Supply Co. The site previously located at 6th and Stockton has been moved to Broadway Plaza near the intersection of 4th and Broadway. The other two locations are the Wal-Mart SuperCenter parking lot and 326 E. 12th Street.
ARC — Saving Earth One Day at a Time
By JENNA POFF, Ada News Lifestyle Editor
It’s no secret that these days more and more people are interested in preserving the Earth’s living creatures. Daily on television, in newspapers and on the Internet, advertisements such as “Save the Whales,” stop wearing fur, and plant a tree, speak to environmentally-concerned individuals around the world. However, saving living creatures does no good if they have no world to live in. That is where the Ada Recycling Coalition comes in.
“Recycling reduces the amount of solid waste entering the landfill,” said Trudy Nevland, secretary of ARC. “It extends the life of the landfill.”
Recycling began during the late 1690s, when the issue of excess garbage began to trouble American Settlers. The concept caught on relatively slowly, and it wasn’t until 1897 that the first recycling center was established in New York City, N.Y.
Ada Recycling Coalition, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization was established in 1991 with the aim of increasing recycling in Ada through education and referral services. The group meets the second Wednesday of each month at noon in the city’s west annex conference room.
Though aluminum cans are traditionally the item most thought of in conjunction with recycling, there are actually many different items that can be reused, including No. 1 and 2 plastics, corrugated cardboard, newspapers, magazines, catalogs and brochures, brown paper and feed sacks, used motor oil and rechargeable batteries.
“Certain plastics (numbers three through seven) cannot be recycled,” Nevland said. “This includes butter tubs. Also, paper that has been contaminated with food cannot be recycled in Ada.”
How do Adans remember to recycle their items? Nevland recommends placing a box or a bin beside their desk at work. “Fill it with all kinds of paper that would normally be thrown away, such as junk mail, manila folders and copy paper,” she said. “Then every other week or so have someone transport the bin to the recycling center.”
In continuing to impress the importance of recycling upon the community, the City of Ada has established three drop-off points throughout town, including the main center, located at 326 East 12th Street, a smaller center on the corner of 6th and Stockton and a 21-foot-trailer located in the Wal-Mart SuperCenter parking lot. Residents can also dispose of unwanted car, truck and lawn-mower batteries at 1001 West Main Street, as well as unwanted metal at J&A Recycling Center, located at 130 South 9th Street in Roff, and Ada Metal Company, 902 Sandy Creek Drive.
Ada City Council member Barbara Young firmly believes in the importance of recycling and is an advocate for the organization. “I have supported the efforts of the Ada Recycling Coalition for more than ten years because I strongly believe in their aims and goals for Ada...to educate the public about reducing the waste stream to save space in the landfill and to promote reusing or recycling as much as possible,” she said. “ARC’s proposals to the Ada City Council have helped to guide and shape our recycling program and have kept Ada ahead of most cities in Oklahoma.”
Currently the organization is conducting a membership drive in hopes of making recycling a familiar word across Ada. According to Garmon Smith, chairman of ARC, the city of Ada’s Recycling Department provides a cardboard service whereby local businesses can significantly reduce their solid waste.
“At this time the Recycling Department services more than 150 businesses and industries in the Ada area,” he said. Membership dues collected by ARC are used to support recycling education, publication and events such as Earth Day and the telephone-book collection contests for area schools. Dues range from $5 to $125, depending upon the status of membership. For more information, phone Trudy Nevland at (580) 436-8100.
Posted June 28, 2004
Tuesday, June 1
Membership Drive
Membership dues are used to support recycling education, publications and ARC events.
BE A MEMBER -- $5
ARC members will receive an e-newsletter and are invited to meetings and ARC-sponsored events throughout the year. ARC members know that recycling matters and so does an organized voice for change and improvement!
BE A LEADER -- $25
ARC Leaders receive the same privileges as members, and a recycling certificate with website and newspaper recognition.
ORGANIZATION SPONSOR -- $50
For your support, your organization or civic club will be invited to ARC-sponsored events and receive a recycling plaque, and website and newspaper recognition.
BE A BUSINESS PARTNER -- $125
Business partners receive the same privileges as leaders. Partners will receive a recycling plaque, and website and newspaper recognition.
Dues are tax deductible.
Call Trudy at 436-8100 for more information on becoming a member.
Paper Recycling
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 6, 2004--The American Forest & Paper Association recently announced that more than half of the paper consumed in the United States during 2003, or 49.3 million tons, was recovered for recycling--a significant milestone in paper recycling history, according to the group.
This recovery represents an increase of 69% since 1990, when only 33.5% of the paper consumed in the United States was recycled. Currently, Americans recover approximately 339 pounds of paper for every person in the United States, up from 233 pounds per person in 1990. This impressive accomplishment was made possible by the efforts of AF&PA member companies and millions of Americans who recycle at home, work and at school.
"We're proud of the progress made by both our member companies and the American people in increasing paper recovery," said W. Henson Moore, president and CEO, AF&PA. "Paper recycling is easy to do, and it's good for business, the community and the environment. The paper industry will continue to educate Americans about paper recycling and encourage its growth."
More than 80% of all paper mills in the United States use recovered paper to make their products with recovered paper representing 37% of the raw material used to make new paper and paper products.
Still, greater collection of more high-quality papers is necessary to ensure the continued production of new recycled content paper products. As domestic and export demand for U.S. recovered paper continues to grow, domestic supply will be squeezed by an anticipated 50% surge in U.S. exports of recovered paper. Most of that demand will come from Asia, particularly China.
"Americans have done a great job of recycling paper, but we all need to do more," said Fred G. von Zuben, Chairman and CEO, The Newark Group, and Chairman, AF&PA Recovered Fiber CEO Committee. "As more paper products enter the home and office for work and pleasure, there is additional potential for greater recovery of high-quality products such as white computer paper, copier paper, office stationery and paperboard packaging. Greater recovery of these paper products will help ensure a steady, reliable supply of recovered paper for our country's paper manufacturers."
In 2002 AF&PA announced a goal to recover 55% of all paper consumed in the United States by 2012. To achieve its 55% goal, AF&PA has developed integrated public-private sector partnerships with the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Keep America Beautiful, CarrAmerica and others to educate and encourage towns and cities, office buildings, schools and private citizens to recover more high-quality papers in their communities and workplaces.
U. S. Recycling Facts:
* In 2003 Americans recovered 49.3 million tons of paper for recycling. This represents 50% of all paper consumed in the U.S.
* In 2003 recovery of old corrugated containers rose to a record high of 75.8%, recovery of old Newspapers (ONP) rose to a record high of 73%, and recovery of office papers rose to a record high of 48.3%.
* Americans recycle 270 million pounds of paper every day.
* More than 37% of the raw material used to make new paper products comes from recycled paper.
* Nearly 80% of all U.S. paper makers use recovered fiber to make new paper products.
* Every ton of paper recovered for recycling saves 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space.
* Currently more paper is recovered for recycling than landfilled. By weight, more paper is recovered from municipal waste streams for recycling than all glass, plastic and aluminum combined.
Detailed information on U.S. paper recovery statistics can be found in AF&PA's "2004 Recovered Paper Statistical Highlights."
Efforts to boost recycling going to waste
By Michael Baker, Staff Writer
Daily Oklahoman -- July 6, 2004
Oklahomans generate about 4.5 million tons of garbage a year, but recycle less than 1 percent. Only Mississippi recycles less, according to a recently published survey. The reason: Plenty of wide, open spaces for cheap landfills and a lack of incentive for people experts say.
"We haven't had a crisis here," said Michael Patton, president of the Oklahoma Recycling. "Unfortunately, it doesn't get people's attention until there's a crisis." Oklahoma sends 99 percent of its trash to landfills, according to a survey based on 2002 data released this year by the journal Biocycle and Columbia University's Earth Engineering Center. Mississippi sends 99.7 percent of its garbage to landfills, according to the survey, which included responses from 47 states. Oklahoma’s numbers are "amazingly embarrassing," said Patton, also executive director of Tulsa’s Metropolitan Environmental Trust. Experts say Oklahomans likely would recycle more if they knew of recycling's benefits: environmental and economic.
Big Business -- "I make the case that in Oklahoma, recycling is big business," said Fenton Rood, director of waste systems planning for the state's Department of Environmental Quality. "In that realm, Oklahoma is incredibly fortunate and successful," he said. "We have 19 manufacturers in the state that use recycled materials to make their products." Oklahoma-based companies using recycled material in manufacturing can be linked to 5,524 jobs and nearly $200 million in paychecks, according to a 2002 study by the Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service and Patton's trust.
Georgia-Pacific in Muskogee uses only recycled paper to produce tissue products, Sheffield Steel in Sand Springs recycles scrap steel, and Weyerhaeuser in Valliant recycles cardboard to make liner boards for boxes. "They would rather get all their recycled material from Oklahoma because it's going to be the cheapest source," Rood said. The problem is, it's not a plentiful source. Only about 5 percent to 15 percent of the recycled material used by those companies comes from Oklahoma, according to the OSU study. "If people knew that recycling newspaper was able to create jobs for a paper plant somewhere in the state, they’d probably see it differently," Patton said. "Oklahoma does a great job of making money off its recycling, but its citizens themselves don't do very much of it."
Few residents recycle -- Half of Oklahomans have either curbside recycling services such as in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Choctaw and other places, or drop-off centers, but only about one in five residents recycle.
Bob Adams of Oklahoma City said he recycles. "According to the landfills and everything, it is important to do," he said. "It keeps it off the streets, too.” Oklahoma falls in line with the regional trend, said Michele Raymond of Raymond Communications, which analyzes state and local recycling programs. "A lot of Southern states aren't doing that much," she said. "Most of the action has been in the really green states." Nationally, recycling efforts have leveled off around 25 percent since the big push began in the late 1980s Raymond said. Oklahoma City shows a downward trend.
In 2001, residents produced 241,508 tons of trash, with 10,480 tons recycled, or a little more 4 percent. In 2003, there were 282,682 tons of trash produced, with 9,266 tons recycled, down to about 3 percent.
Patton said cheap and plentiful landfill space has left people lackadaisical when it comes to recycling. The average cost, known as a "tip fee," to deposit a ton of trash in one of Oklahoma's 40 landfills according to Columbia University survey. "If it's so cheap to throw it away and Oklahoma is so full of wide, open space, what incentive is there to recycle?" Patton asked.
In states with limited landfill space, such as Massachusetts and Vermont, the fee is more than $70 a ton. Both states recycle about 30 percent of their garbage. "When the tip fee is that high, then recycling tends to happen," Raymond said. "Industry kind of makes it happen one way or another."
Several state governments have set goals for diverting solid waste from landfills. Pennsylvania officials try to recycle 35 percent of waste. California officials threaten municipalities with penalties if they don’t keep at least half of their trash out of landfills.
"Oklahoma is one of six states with no stated goal," Patton said. "Most of those goals were developed in the 80s and early 90s, and they were developed in response to perceived landfill crises, and we just never experienced that type of crisis in Oklahoma," Rood said.
Patton said it's time for the state to offer incentives for local governments to push recycling." Kansas and Arkansas convert landfill fees into millions of dollars in grants and education for recycling programs, Patton said, adding, "Oklahoma offers very minimal assistance for recycling."
"More valuable than trash" -- One key area where Oklahoma could improve is the recycling of yard trimmings or other green waste with education efforts, Rood said. "About 20 percent of what we throw away in landfills every year ends up being green waste."
“In Oklahoma City, half the trucks hauling trash to dumps in the summer double their trips to landfills to accommodate yard clippings,” said Marsha Slaughter, director of water and wastewater utilities. “City officials are looking into ways to educate people about composting,” she said.
Oklahoma City resident Jack Jungroth has three composting piles in his backyard. "It's hard to get anybody excited about it," he said, adding that he recycles to protect environmental resources. "Where we can use it is very, very productively is where organic material is integral in land restoration when you look at cleaning up some of the historical scars from the early day oil field development and the early-day mining," Rood said.
Patton said education efforts could be the answer to lack of recycling. "It's just so cheap to throw it away, and no one's teaching people not to throw it away.” Oklahomans know why it's important. It's just a shame to throw things away that are more valuable than trash."
Thursday, July 22
Ever Wonder What To Do With Your Old Wireless Phone?
The Family Crisis Center has requested cell phone no longer used for women and children who are at risk to have one for use when they need to call 911. If the center receives too many, they send them to a recycling center and are reimbursed. Cell phones can be dropped off Monday thru Friday from 8 am to 5 pm at 605 East 12th Street. Phones must have batteries. Donors will receive a receipt for tax purposes if requested.
A new rule taking effect November 24, 2003 will allow cell phone users to keep their phone numbers if they buy new cell phones or switch providers. News sources are reporting that this will result in accelerated cell phone disposal in landfills during the next few months. To anticipate the e-waste glut, the wireless industry has launched website offering recycling tips to consumers (click logo).
Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA*) and its member companies are committed to the goal of sustainable development and the environmentally sound management of their wireless products at end-of-life. Through its Wireless... The New Recyclable program, CTIA is educating the public on the options available for properly recycling used wireless devices. The program seeks to promote the collection of used wireless devices and ensure that collected wireless products will be managed properly.
Wireless phones, devices, chargers, and accessories are recyclable. And it can start with your help. Please click for more information.
Thursday, April 22
Earth Day
Click here for Earth Day news and updates.
America Recycles Day
Check here for updates on America Recycles Day news, updates, promotions and contests.
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