Sedona Recycles News Archive

Meghan Kincheloe, Sedona Recycles
Sedona Red Rock News
January 20, 2010

For the second year in a row, the amount of material recycled at Sedona Recycles has dropped. In 2009, 3,959 tons of material was recycled – 426 tons less than was recycled in 2008 – the lowest volume since 2004. Why the sudden decrease?

There are several reasons why we see less being recycled today than in our peak year, 2007. One big change has been a local shift to curbside recycling. Only a tiny fraction of curbside recyclables is brought to Sedona Recycles; the remainder is processed at other facilities in Yavapai County. In years past, far more curbside material was processed at Sedona Recycles, but by the end of 2008, local curbside providers had decided to take the bulk of their recyclables elsewhere.

Residents and businesses that previously brought their material to the recycling center may have opted for the convenience of curbside recycling. So, although the same number of people – or more – may be recycling in Sedona, less of this material is being delivered to Sedona’s only recycling center.

We also see recycling volumes decrease due to more efficient manufacturing. Newspapers and many magazines have become smaller in both size and the number of pages. Plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and glass bottles are continually being made thinner and lighter due to “lightweighting.” This concept is also used in auto manufacturing. Just think of the heavy duty, tank-like cars of the ’50s and ’60s compared to the cars we see today.

These manufacturing changes are great news for our environment because fewer raw materials are used to make these items. Last year, Nestlé debuted a new plastic bottle that uses 15% less plastic. This design change has reduced the amount of plastic Nestlé uses each year by 65 million pounds.

Since all the material collected and shipped at Sedona Recycles is measured by weight, it is difficult to discern if fewer people are recycling, people are recycling less material, or material weighs less than it did in the past. With such a large drop in our material volumes, I can only assume that it is a combination of all three of these factors.

Conservation of the natural resources that make most products is vital to waste reduction. But when it comes down to it, Sedona residents recycle far less than the national average of 33%. Including estimates of curbside recycling rates, only 12-15% of Sedona residents recycle.

For those of you who are already recycling – whether it is with a curbside provider or at a drop-off site – try to stay up to date on which items can be recycled. Sedona Recycles started accepting plastics #3-#7 in July 2008, but many residents are still surprised when they learn this. Likewise, I get phone calls every day asking where electronics can be recycled. These callers are happy to hear that Sedona Recycles can accept everything from a hair dryer to a big screen TV. We try to accept one new item every year, so stay current on the latest in recycling to make the biggest difference. 

Curbside recyclers typically accept fewer items than can be recycled at local drop-off sites. Depending on the provider, plastics #3-#7 or glass may not be accepted, but Sedona Recycles will take all these items. Consider bringing recyclables not accepted by your curbside provider to a Sedona Recycles drop-off site. It’s free, and you’ll be increasing Sedona’s recycling rate a little at a time.

Sedona Recycles also collects ink and toner printer cartridges, cell phones, and iPods, as well as packing peanuts, bubble wrap, and egg cartons. These items can be accepted at the recycling center during business hours, so bring them in and we’ll make sure they get recycled or reused. Also, be sure to recycle your household batteries at our monthly collection event, the first Thursday of every month at New Frontiers.

No matter where or what you recycle, or whether or not you recycle in the first place, take some time to think about what happens to your recycling or garbage once it leaves your hand. Where is the local landfill where it will be buried? Where will it be recycled and what will it become? Who are the people who collect and handle it? Will contamination result in the item being thrown away even though you placed it in your recycling bin?

At Sedona Recycles, we call this concept “thinking beyond the bin.” Every individual is responsible for the answers to these questions. Just as we vote with our dollars when we make a purchase, so do we vote with our disposal choices. We vote for landfills or recycling, local companies or multinational corporations, and much more. I urge you to take just one day and think about what will ultimately happen to each item you throw away or recycle. If you take just one day to think beyond the bin, you will learn a lot about our local waste stream.

Sedona Recycles is looking to the future and working on ways to make recycling easier for Sedona residents. This year, we hope to open three additional neighborhood drop-off sites, similar to the site we opened at Posse Grounds in October. These small sites will bring recycling to Sedona residents, one neighborhood at a time, and provide the added benefits of reducing the number and frequency of trucks entering neighborhoods and supporting a local nonprofit. Contact Sedona Recycles if you’re interested in opening a small recycling collection site in your neighborhood.

As always, feel free to come take a tour of the recycling center and learn what happens to the items we collect. Knowledge is power and together we can recycle more and make a difference.