Garbology… The study of trash and the discovery of what our trash says about us.

What does it mean to recycle? Reuse? Reduce?

What items can be recycled?

Looking at what we have researched… Recycle city… Trash Lab… Graph Something to think about…13,882 people live in Canton Township. Our sample was from 10 families for 1-2 days

Easy things we can do! Use reusable shopping bags: Average person uses nearly 30,000 plastic shopping bags in their life time (if you live to 70 that is over 400 each year!) Countries like China, Canada, India, Kenya have banned the use of plastic bags. Ireland taxes individuals who use them, which reduced consumption by 90% In 2007 San Francisco banned the use of these bags within city limits, Boston is looking to do the same.

Why is this a big issue? Less than 1% of these bags are recycled! They account for over 10% of the waste that washes up on U.S. beachs and shore lines Nearly 200 different species (whales, seals, turtles, dolphins) have died as a result of ingesting a plastic bag mistaken as food

Some of the basics we need to know… Recyclable materials are typically called recyclables or recyclates These can include glass, paper, metals, plastics, and many textiles

Items must be separated in order to be recycled 2 main ways to handle this –Curb side –Bring system

Many of these recyclables can be used in a process called W.T.E –Waste to energy! These items are burned to create steam or electricity (items that release little to no chemicals into the air)

Currently, there are roughly 98 WTE places in 21 states managing 33.6 million tons of trash, or 14.7% of the trash generated in the U.S. A by product of this process can be… Bottom ash Fly ash

Bottom Ash: –Large items that could not or would not burn in the WTE process…this makes up about 75-90% of the leftovers. Fly Ash: –Smaller air born materials in the steam, these are often collected by the air ducting systems of WTE plants

Composting What is it? How do you do it? Our trash lasts… Glass: 1,000,000 years Al: 100 years Rubber: 80 years Leather: 25 years Nylon: years Plastic bags: 25 years Orange peels or food products: 3-10 weeks