Re: [GreenYes] Plastics and PRACTICAL Recycling

["The Eden Sterling Company" <info@edensterling.com>]

Well, I called a local representative of Rumpke Recycling this morning here
in Cincinnati, Ohio and had a very good conversation with him regarding
recycling. He has been in the recycling business for 15+ years and
originally started with a non-profit.

He stated that the main stumbling block to increased recycling is that not
enough companies use recycled plastic in their materials. i.e. Coke not
using enough recycled plastic. In the past, recycling has barely been a
break even proposition. This year, after 9/11, any recycling profits have
diminished. He suggested that as consumers we need to encourage companies to
increase the percentage of recycled plastic in their final products. Many
companies have resisted these efforts in the past.

On the technical side of recycling, he said that sorting recyclables is
becoming easier and easier. They are now using optical scanners to sort
different plastics.

If there is to be an increase in all recycling, then a national campaign
must be more directed at the users of recycled plastic. I firmly believe
that if the market for recyclables increases, the recycling companies will
go out of their way to increase recycling in their markets as their will be
a monetary benefit to this action. Perhaps, we could put together a list of
companies with their telephone numbers and addresses so that others could
write to these companies.

Peace,
Ben



----- Original Message -----
From: Steen, Terri - Contractor <Terri_Steen@belvoir.army.mil>
To: GreenYes <greenyes@grrn.org>
Sent: Monday, December 17, 2001 5:12 PM
Subject: [GreenYes] Plastics and PRACTICAL Recycling


> OK folks, let's all take a deep breath and wish someone happy
> holidays....I'm going to add my two cents here, but I changed the message
> title because I'm not sure what I'm responding to anymore!
>
> In my opinion, one reason tempers are starting to flare is because we are
> trying to talk about too many things at once.  Poor Ben asked a very
> practical, good-hearted question and opened Pandora's box...



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