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Recyclers' Corner
November 2008 Issue
[Editor's Note: Recyclers' Corner is a periodic news column sponsored by Denver
Recycles, a program of Denver Public Works/Solid Waste Management. It includes
updates on seasonal and ongoing activities related to the City and County of
Denver's recycling programs. Editors are invited to publish all or part of the
column; however, we request that you run major edits by our staff to ensure accuracy
of the information. Questions may be directed to Charlotte Pitt or Tom Strickland
at Denver Recycles, 720-865-6815.]
America Recycles Day is November 15th
Top Ten Reasons to Recycle
1. Recycling is Good for Our Economy. American companies rely on recycling programs
to provide raw materials to make new products.
2. Recycling Creates Jobs. More than 1.1 million Americans work in the reuse and
recycling industry nationwide (source National Recycling Coalition).
3. Recycling Reduces Waste. Denver residents threw away 235,000 tons of waste in
2007, and more than 42,000 tons of this material could have been recycled in Denver
Recycles purple carts if everyone participated.
4. Recycling is Good for the Environment.
5. Recycling Saves Energy. It takes 95% less energy to make a new aluminum can from
an old can, versus making an aluminum can from the mineral Bauxite, which must be
mined from tropical rainforests.
6. Recycling Reduces Pollution and Prevents Global Warming. Recycling reduces
greenhouse gas production, including carbon dioxide.
7. Recycling Protects Wildlife. Recycling materials means we need fewer virgin
resources to make new products, which means less trees get cut and less mining
occurs, thus protecting wildlife habitats.
8. Recycling Preserves Landfill Space.
9. Recycling Creates Demand. Recycling and buying recycled products creates demand
for recycled materials, thus decreasing waste and helping our economy.
10. 85,000 of Your Neighbors in Denver are Recycling. Don't be left out. Sign up
today! The Denver Recycles program is easy and free, and all you need to do is ask
for it. Simply call 3-1-1 or sign up online at DenverGov.org/DenverRecycles.
Renew your commitment to recycling this America Recycles Day. If you are not
already participating in the Denver Recycles program, sign up now. If you are
already recycling through the Denver Recycles program, challenge yourself to recycle
everything you can. To find out more, visit our website at
DenverGov.org/DenverRecycles.
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Recycle Your Old Cell Phones!
Do you know where your last cell phone ended up? Unfortunately, most people can't
remember what happened to their last cell phone after they no longer needed it.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), less than 2% of all old
cell phones get recycled, resulting in a staggering 130 million cell phones getting
thrown away each year! Not only is this a terrible waste of resources, but cell
phones can also be potentially hazardous. Toxins inside cell phones may leach into
the soil and groundwater when sent to landfills, or toxins may be released into our
air when cell phones are sent to a trash incineration facility.
Cell phones contain a cornucopia of rare and valuable metals that can be recycled.
Gold, silver, platinum, rhodium, copper, zinc and other metals make up the inner
workings of the phones. Coltan is a valuable and widely used mineral in cell phones
and other electronics, and it is mined mainly in the Congo where its exploitation
has been linked to deadly conflicts and human abuses, as well as the destruction of
its forests, which are habitat for African Gorillas. By recycling cell phones you
can help reduce the need for energy intensive mining of additional metals and
minerals like Coltan, save energy, conserve natural resources, reduce air and water
pollution, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Not a bad deal for simply recycling
your old cell phone.
There's no reason all cell phones shouldn't be recycled. Almost every cellular
service store now collects and recycles cell phones, and so do many other facilities
and charities. Don't be a party to generating more waste - be sure to recycle your
old cell phones. A list of local cell phone recycling options can be found in
Denver Recycles' Recycling Directory online at www.DenverGov.org/DenverRecycles.
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Tom Strickland
Recycling Program Administrator
Denver Recycles/Solid Waste Management
City & County of Denver
720-865-6813
thomas.strickland@denvergov.org
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