This document discusses the importance of recycling in Edenton and Chowan County, North Carolina. It provides background on laws banning various materials from landfills and statistics on waste generation. The recycling of materials like plastic, paper, glass and metal conserves resources and energy. It also saves on taxes by reducing landfill costs and fines. The document promotes reducing waste through alternatives to plastic bottles and bags. It outlines the goals of the Chowan/Edenton Environmental Group to educate the community and collaborate with local groups and officials to improve recycling.
4. NOT BANNED BUT RECYCLABLE
•CARDBOARD
•CELL PHONES
•GLASS BOTTLES
•INK CARTRIDGES
•NEWSPAPERS
•PHONEBOOKS
NOT BANNED & NOT RECYCLABLE
•STYROFOAM
BANNED & DIFFICULT
•PAINT
•PESTICIDES
5. SOME TROUBLING STATISTICS*
EVERY 3.9 SECONDS, NORTH CAROLINIANS THROW AWAY
ENOUGH PLASTIC BOTTLES TO REACH THE HEIGHT OF
THE CAPE HATTERAS LIGHTHOUSE.
*RE3.ORG
6. EVERY HOUR NORTH CAROLINIANS THROW AWAY
ENOUGH PLASTIC BOTTLES TO LINE THE LENGTH
OF LOWEʼS MOTORSPEEDWAY (1.5 MILES) 22.9
TIMES.*
*RE3.ORG
7. IN A YEAR, NORTH CAROLINIANS THROW AWAY
ENOUGH PLASTIC BOTTLES TO LINE THE BLUE
RIDGE PKWY 642 TIMES*
*RE3.ORG
8. NORTH CAROLINIANS
THROW AWAY MORE
THAN $74,072,000 IN
ALUMINUM CANS AND
$41,411,600 IN PLASTIC
EACH YEAR.*
*RE3.ORG
9. WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECYCLE
LANDFILL CAPACITIES ARE FINITE
Source: Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the
United States: Facts and Figures for 2006, EPA, page 8)
10. ENERGY SAVINGS
•RECYCLE 1 TON ALUMINUM CONSERVES 36
BARRELS OF OIL
•1 TON PAPER CONSERVES 185 GALLONS OF
GASOLINE
•1 TON OF RECYCLED GLASS = 9 GALLONS OF
FUEL OIL.
11. TAX SAVINGS FOR US!
FEWER TRIPS TO LANDFILL = FEWER MILES DRIVEN +
REDUCED LANDFILL FEES=LOWER TAXES.
COUNTY AND TOWN SUBJECT TO FINES OF BANNED
MATERIALS END UP IN LANDFILL = HIGHER TAXES.
CHOWAN/EDENTON RECYCLING PROGRAM SAVED
EDENTON $5,881 & COUNTY $13,191 IN 5 MONTHS.
12. LOWER ENERGY COST TO USE RECYCLED
MATERIALS OVER VIRGIN MATERIALS
UNSIGHTLY NEIGHBORHOODS & ROADWAYS
Ps. 24:1: "THE EARTH IS THE LORDʼS, AND
EVERYTHING IN IT."
15. PAPER
•RECYCLED PAPER
•(30-50% LESS ENERGY USED THAN FROM TREES)
•EGG CARTONS
•GAME BOARDS
•GIFT BOXES
•ANIMAL BEDDING
•INSULATION
•PACKAGING MATERIAL
16. GLASS
•DECORATIVE PAVERS
•FILLER FOR ASPHALT
•CONTAINER GLASS
•RECYCLED REPEATEDLY WITHOUT LOSS OF
QUALITY
METAL
•CANS, AUTO PARTS, SIDING, APPLIANCES,
BUILDING MATERIALS
•RECYCLED ALUMINUM USES 95% LESS ENERGY
THAN NEW CAN MANUFACTURING.
17. SOME GOOD NEWS
STATISTICALLY THE U.S. RECYCLES JUST ABOUT 26% OF
ITS WASTE TODAY, WHICH IS DOUBLE WHAT IT WAS A
DECADE AGO.
IN 2007, AMERICANS RECOVERED 63 MILLION TONS PER
PERSON PER DAY (EXCLUDING COMPOSTING)
THROUGH RECYCLING - THIS IS 1.9 MILLION TONS MORE
THAN 2006.
IN 2007 PAPER AND PAPERBOARD RECOVERY ROSE
54%.
$236 BILLION ESTIMATED ANNUAL REVENUE OF THE U.S.
RECYCLING INDUSTRY
18. REDUCE THE WASTE!
REUSE SO YOU DONʼT HAVE TO RECYCLE
ALTERNATIVES TO PLASTIC BOTTLES
•ONE BRITA PITCHER FILTER CAN EFFECTIVELY REPLACE AS MUCH AS 300
STANDARD 16.9 OUNCE BOTTLES.
•FOR ABOUT $10 EACH, YOU CAN PURCHASE A 16 OUNCE NALGENE
BOTTLE, SAVING YOU HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR ON BOTTLED
WATER.
•FOR UNDER $200 YOU CAN INSTALL AN UNDER THE COUNTER FILTER
SYSTEM
19. REDUCE THE WASTE!
REUSE SO YOU DONʼT HAVE TO RECYCLE
ALTERNATIVES TO PLASTIC BAGS
•BEST SOLUTION, BRING YOUR OWN BAGS.
•ASK FOR PAPER, NOT PLASTIC.
•IF YOU CANʼT AVOID THEM, BE SURE TO RECYCLE AT THE STORE
20. CHOWAN/EDENTON ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP
(CEEG)
RECYCLING ACTIVITIES AND GOALS
EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION
COLLABORATE WITH EDENTONʼS DESTINATION
DOWNTOWN ON BUSINESS RECYCLING
EXPLORE WAYS TO WORK CLOSELY WITH COUNTY
RECYCLING SITES
DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE RECYCLING PLAN FOR
EDENTON AND CHOWAN COUNTY
Give background on CEEG - when formed; abstract of mission statement; small groups; recycling one of them.
The critical thing is the first R - Reduce; then reuse and finally recycle.
This is a history of legislation banning items from the NC landfills. Mention that fines can be levied against Edenton and Chowan County for lack of compliance.
SOURCE: NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance (http://www.p2pays.org/)
A rather frightening fact is in regards to the motor oil we use. Just one quart of motor oil that is disposed of improperly can contaminate up to 2,000,000 gallons of fresh water. Motor oil gets dirty but does not wear out.Oil too can be recycled by re-refining the oil it can be  used again and again and can help to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
Points to make: cell phones can be recycled for charitable uses - women’s abuse centers, rape crisis centers - see local Sheriff’s or Police Dept.
Once paint is dry it is disposable in the landfill. So whether the can has dried out or you have to add the kitty litter to it or paint it onto board, that paint can now be disposed with the trash
Pesticides - PESTICIDE DISPOSAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM - tried to get a grant; still working on it. Chowan not “rural” enough! Contact Dept of Agric Extension service.
Information is from re3.org - N.C. Division of Pollution Prevention & Environmental Assistance (DPPEA)
Something really, really wrong with this picture! How much this would help with NC’s budget deficit.
Here are several slides of reasons to recycle, beginning with landfill limitations. Might have to read figures; reason for same number 2005-2006 is success of recycling so it is working.
Stress cost benefits of recycling - some serious $$ can be saved.
Stress the importance of recycling as a way to hold down taxes. Landfill costs are going up. Town and County subject of fines of banned materials go to landfill. While profits from recycling have diminished nationally due to building downturn, locally we’re still doing ok according to Brad Gardner, head of Chowan/Perquimans Transfer site.
Of all of the countries in the world and populations the United States makes up about 5% of the world’s population. 
The United States is also the world’s largest trash producing country at 1,609 pounds of trash per person per year. What this means is that just 5% of the world’s population produces about 40% of the worlds waste and with the total rate of recycling in the United States being only at about 28%; well, there is a great need for improvement.
CEEG was begun as a theological statement. Biblically the command from God is clear - take care of His earth. We’ve not done a great job and need to do better.
Really terrifying pictures of the Pacific Gyre - a mass of plastic in the ocean that is growing every year and is now the size of Texas - a threat to ocean life as plastic breaks down and wildlife eats it and dies from it.
There is a remarkable market for recycled materials - aluminum cans are recycled into new aluminum cans was well as other products; plastic lumber is big; you can croquet plastic bags into rugs., etc.
The use of energy to recreate products through recycling is always less that that used to create the original product - sometimes representing significant savings.
Talk about visit to Elizabeth City Glass Company Incorporated (ECG) - a pioneer in the recycling of glass and the manufacture of products from recycled bottle, window, mirror, and industrial glass. Decorative pavers from their website.
It is not that recycling isn’t being done - it just isn’t reaching the level that it should. Did you know, the Hershey Company in the US produces about 20,000,000 kisses each day using 133 square miles of aluminum to wrap them in; this material is recyclable and most of it ends up in the trash rather than the recycle bin. Interesting facts!
Share some of the concerns expressed by the staff of the recycling centers - “I pay my taxes and you can’t tell me what I can and cannot do;” Fact that Town and County are subject fo fines if banned materials end up on landfill; Do your part.
Thank them for their attention and open the floor for questions/comments.
