Our local recycling plant had tours as part of an eco awareness. It was an extremely interesting tour. I learned an amazing amount about the garage program our city has, the way it is sorted and the problems it faces which are easily remedied by residents.
One piece of garbage takes 8 mins to travel through the plant and be sorted into its 'place'. Our composting bags are sent to another city, our landfill waste is shipped away. The bags of garbage (blue bags)are first brought into the plant with a front end loader, the cardboard on one side to be packaged and the bags put in the shredder. From here they sent through a magnet to collect the steel, then another type of magnet to collect the aluminum. The plastics are sent to a specific sorting area, the glass another. Most of the sorting is done by hand, which according to the employees is more efficient and effective. We asked what they would like residents to do to make their job easier. The biggest thing is to empty the plastic containers because the contents freeze in cold weather and to remove the lids. Water bottles in particular jam the machines and hold up the process. Another great reason not to use water bottles of plastic.
It was a very interesting tour, we all commented we would go again when they give it in August.
No comments:
Post a Comment