Recycling
Carpet fiber boasts 25% pre-consumer recycled content
ATLANTA – INVISTA, manufacturer of ANTRON® carpet fiber, has introduced more than 50 ANTRON Lumena® solution dyed nylon colors with 25% pre-consumer recycled content. Additionally, the new recycled content fibers have been proven to meet all ANTRON® brand performance criteria.
INVISTA color specialists, working closely with mill product development teams, conducted a thorough analysis of style trends and color forecasts to determine by market segment which colors from the ANTRON Lumena® solution dyed nylon line should be developed with recycled content to meet the greatest market need. For more information, see www.invista.com
[ page top ]
Carpets have two lives
CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla. – Both Kruse Carpet Recycling and Shaw Industries have been recognized as Recyclers of the Year by the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE).
For the second year in a row, this year’s recycler of the year award was divided into a large company division and a small company division in an effort to better recognize the drivers behind this new industry of post-consumer carpet recycling.
For more information, see www.carpetrecovery.org
[ page top ]
Don’t steal it before we reuse it
WASHINGTON, D.C. – City, county, and state governments are being warned of the potential for a new wave of material thefts involving ferrous (iron and steel) infrastructure metals such as manhole covers and sewer/stormwater grates, according to the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI).
ISRI has received several reports of these infrastructure metals being stolen in communities across the country. The reports are shared with the industry through the ISRI Theft Alert system.
"It is nearly impossible to tell the difference between stolen material and legitimate material that comes to a scrap yard unless you know to be on the lookout," said ISRI Chair George Adams, President of S.A. Recycling in Anaheim, Calif. For more information, see www.isri.org
[ page top ]
They’ll win again next year
LOS ANGELES – The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corp. (RBRC), a nonprofit dedicated to recycling used rechargeable batteries, has recognized the City of Los Angeles’ General Services Department with the 2007 National Recycling Leadership Award.
Since joining RBRC in 2005, the City of Los Angeles has collected more than 39,000 pounds of rechargeable batteries, including more than 15,500 pounds in 2006 alone. For more information, see www.rbrc.org/call2recycle/releases/PR_05092008.pdf
[ page top ]
Recycling water bottles
ITHACA, N.Y. – Researchers at Cornell University has animated the impact of water-bottle use – and lack of recycling – for the brave of heart. Take a look: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZbTXDkrD1o
[ page top ]
UK recycles carpet
SWINDON, UK – Carpet Recycling UK has been formed as an alliance of carpet manufacturers who want to increase recycling rates. They are supported by all sections of the carpet value chain, including recyclers.
The strategy of Carpet Recycling UK is to put the UK carpet industry in a leadership position on recycling of end-of-life carpet. Recent developments in UK mean that the time is ripe for take-up and growth of carpet recycling.
Market evaluation has demonstrated that the cost of collecting and sorting residential carpets can be offset by savings in landfill charges. There is already widespread demand amongst local authorities nationwide for this service, especially given the increase in the landfill tax escalator from April 2008.
In the commercial sector there is a growing demand from government and corporate procurement to ensure that end-of-life carpets are recycled and not landfilled.
Carpet Recycling UK will develop a strong carpet recycling industry by:
- Raising awareness at government level so that appropriate support is available through recycling agencies and regulatory regimes;
- Creating a database of technical and market information and commissioning research to fill key gaps;
- Accrediting carpet recyclers according to environmental performance; and
- Providing a focal point for enquiries from members of the public as well as industry participants about carpet recycling.
Membership of Carpet Recycling UK is being led by Founder Members including the following manufacturers: Abingdon, Burmatex, Desso, Heckmondwike, InterfaceFLOR, Milliken, Paragon, Penthouse, Ryalux, Quadrant, and Scotmat. For more information, see www.carpetrecyclinguk.com/news1.html
[ page top ]
Recycling is in the bag
CHICAGO – The Chicago City Council has passed legislation that requiring establishment of in-store recycling programs for plastic bags in certain retail stores, according to the American Chemical Association (ACA).
More Americans are recycling plastic bags and film than ever before, driven by a growing realization that plastic bags and film are a valuable resource. In the United States, plastic bags and film recycling increased by 24% in 2006, reaching a record high of 812 million pounds. The increase in recycling is in part driven by greater demand for valuable recycled plastic and increased recycling of plastic grocery bags in states like Illinois.
These materials are made into useful new products, such as low-maintenance fencing and decking, building and construction products, and new carryout bags.
Plastic bags are a good environmental choice compared to alternatives, states the Association. They require 40%-70% less energy to produce, generate 40% less green house gas emissions, and take up 80% less space in a landfill than paper bags. Even a 100% recycled paper bag requires more energy to manufacture and process than a plastic bag. For more information, see www.americanchemistry.com
[ page top ]
Reduce first…
LOCHVINER, Scotland – A network of more than 50 European environmental non-governmental organizations launched Shrink, a project addressing over-consumption of paper.
The website encourages people to use less paper and commit to simple actions, such as signing off junk mail and printing double-sided if printing cannot be substituted by electronic channels. It provides useful tips for running a comprehensive paper use reduction program in an office, and how to save costs by doing so. The website will provide a running tally of the amount of trees, water, pollution, and climate change emissions saved through the pledges made.
Industrialized countries consume more resources than the world can supply while staying within its carrying capacity: if everyone on earth had the consumption habits of Europeans we would require more than two planets. The madness of over-consumption of paper is just one example of many where people need to cut waste, leading the way so governments and corporations can follow.
Coinciding with the global launch of “Shrink” is a specific communication focus by the EEPN in the UK to some of the UK’s biggest paper consumers – banks, magazine publishers, catalogue companies and supermarkets – inviting them to show global responsibility and to commit to paper use reductions following the example of individual pledges on www.shrinkpaper.org.
See the website at www.shrinkpaper.org/pages/news/shrink-website-launch.shtml
[ page top ]
|
