esther k. davis trans-jordan landfill compliance and safety coordinator/ public education november...
TRANSCRIPT
Utah Debate Conference 2013
Esther K. Davis
Trans-Jordan Landfill
Compliance and Safety Coordinator/ Public Education
November 22, 2013
Our Landfills Are Being Filled With Plastic, What Do We Do Now?
Utah Debate Conference 2013
Plastic in the landfill
Utah Debate Conference 2013
Total MSW before recycling
Utah Debate Conference 2013
In the US (in millions of tons)
2011Material Weight Generated
Weight Recovered
Recovery as Percent of Generation
Weight Discarded
Plastics 31.84 2.65 8.3% 29.19
Utah Debate Conference 2013
2011Material Weight Generated
Weight Recovered
Recovery as Percent of Generation
Weight Discarded
Plastics 31.84 2.65 8.3% 29.19
Paper and paperboard
70.02 45.90 65.6% 24.12
Comparison of recyclable products
Utah Debate Conference 2013
Municipal Solid Waste
350 pounds of uncompacted plastic takes up twenty times the space!.
Weight –vs.-VolumePlastic Bottles
1 yd3 of Uncompacted municipal solid waste weighs 350 lbs.
Utah Debate Conference 2013
Municipal Solid Waste
350 pounds of uncompacted plastic takes up twenty times the space!.
Weight –vs.-VolumePlastic Bottles
1 yd3 of Uncompacted municipal solid waste weighs 350 lbs.
Utah Debate Conference 2013
A look at your landfill
Utah Debate Conference 2013
Utah Debate Conference 2013
Notice the recyclables especially the plastics
Utah Debate Conference 2013
Utah Debate Conference 2013
Litter fence at landfill
These fences are 16’ high. Over 70% of trash caught on fence is plastic bags!
Utah Debate Conference 2013
Landfill closuresthe number of landfills
has decreased from almost 8,000 in 1988 to 1,767 in 2012.
Factors for landfill closings:
Regulations protecting the environment of become more stringent
ConsolidationUse of plastics have
filled the landfills at a increased rate since 1970.
Utah Debate Conference 2013
GlassEnvironmentally cleanerBreakableHeavy to use and heavy to
shipMetal
Environmentally cleanerLess pleasing as you
cannot see contentsStill lined with plastic to
prevent metal corrosion
Alternatives to plastic
Utah Debate Conference 2013
Some items are
better with plastic
such as:
Medical items
Automobile parts
(less weight better
fuel mileage)
Needed Plastics
Plastic is not bad
Utah Debate Conference 2013
What can we do?
RECYCLE
Recycling RatesNational Recycling Rates
Salt Lake County Recycling Rate
47% 15%Utah Debate Conference 2013
Utah Debate Conference 2013
I don’t know what the types of plastic are?
I don’t know which plastics can be recycled?
I don’t want to wash my recycling, do I have too?
Recycling is too hard
Utah Debate Conference 2013
Let’s make this easy:All clean plastic containers can be
recycledOne exception….styrofoam
No need to know numbersIf in doubt, if it is clean, throw it in the
recycle can!
What Plastics Can be recycled?
Utah Debate Conference 2013
Reduce the amount of plastics that you bring home.Re-use the containers that you canRecycle all clean plastic containers…except
Styrofoam
If in doubt and it is clean…put it in the recycle can!
Our Landfills Are Being Filled With Plastic, What Do We Do Now?
Utah Debate Conference 2013
Biocycle magazine, www.jgpress.com/biocycle.htmEnvironmental Research and Education Foundation,
www.erefdn.orgInstitute of Scrap Recycling Industries, www.isri.org“Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and
Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2011,” U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste,
www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/msw99.htmNational Solid Wastes Managment Association,
www.nswma.org“National Source Reduction Characterization Report,” U.S.
EPA, Office of Solid Waste, www.epa.gov/osw
Facts obtained here:
Utah Debate Conference 2013
Elementary PolicyThe State of Utah should ban the use of plastic
shopping bags and bottles.Jr. High/ Middle School PolicyThe State of Utah should establish a policy
significantly decreasing plastic waste.Jr. High/ Middle School L-DIndividuals have a moral obligation to reduce plastic
waste in their communities.
Utah Debate Conference 2013
Esther DavisCompliance and Safety Coordinator - Environmental
Educator10873 S. Bacchus Hwy (U-111)PO Box 95610South Jordan UT 84095-0610801-569-8994 ext 23801-352-0578 [email protected] www.transjordan.org
If you have any additional questions: