Sorry for cross postings!
I'd be interested in feedback on the 'all bottle' approach to recycling
plastic bottles through curbside recycling programs. NSDA endorsed this
approach in a press release (Aug 30, 2000). I don't doubt that this would
increase the total number of plastic bottles recovered, and maybe even
increase PET and HDPE bottle recovery, but at what cost?
Has anyone seen any data comparing costs and PET bottle recovery of all
bottle programs to PET and HDPE only programs? The release states that APC
reports a 10 percent increase in PET and HDPE bottles, but I wonder how many
tons of bottles of other resin types are collected through curbside programs
and then landfilled.
The 'all bottle' curbside approach still doesn't address the problem of the
plastic soda (and other beverage) bottles consumed away from home. I don't
know exactly what percent that is but I would think it would be the majority.
Thanks!!!!!
Pat
Pat Franklin, Executive Director
Container Recycling Institute
1911 Ft Myer Drive, Suite 900
Arlington, Virginia 22209
703/276-9800 fax 276-9587
email: CRI@Container-Recycling.org
www.Container-Recycling.org
WWW.BottleBill.org
Here's the NSDA Press Release. . . . .
(Washington, DC) – The National Soft Drink Association (NSDA) announced its
support for the "All Bottles" concept of curbside recycling, a program
developed by the American Plastics Council (APC) to maximize recovery of
plastics from curbside recycling programs .
"Soft drink bottles, beginning with the two liter container, have been a
part of curbside collection programs since their inception," said Will Ball,
President of NSDA. "All of the plastic bottles distributed by our
members--whether for soft drinks, juices, water, or sports drinks--are
recyclable. The "All Bottles" concept is the most effective way to get this
message across. Many other household products, such as salad dressing,
peanut butter, and shampoo are now packaged in plastic bottles. This
program, with simple and straightforward message, is the best way to get the
most recyclable material from consumers’ households."
An estimated 20 percent of curbside recycling programs in the United States
use an "All Bottles" message for plastics. The other eighty percent
generally ask for plastics by resin code, usually numbers one and two. This
can cause confusion with consumers, because many of the non-bottle
containers made from these resin types, such as margarine tubs and yogurt
containers, are not recyclable. Curbside program operators and consumers who
have switched to the "All Bottles" message prefer its simplicity.
According to APC, programs that have changed to an all bottles message have
increased their capture of HDPE and PET bottles by more than 10 percent.
NSDA will participate in efforts to persuade municipal recycling
coordinators to adopt all bottle programs as the best way to maximize the
amount of plastic recovered through curbside recycling.
Soft drink containers continue to be America’s most recycled package. In
1999 more than 52 billion cans and bottles were recycled by America’s soft
drink consumers.
Pat Franklin, Executive Director
Container Recycling Institute
1911 Ft Myer Drive, Suite 900
Arlington, Virginia 22209
703/276-9800 fax 276-9587
email: CRI@Container-Recycling.org
www.Container-Recycling.org
WWW.BottleBill.org
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