FALL 2010
Reasons to Recycle
M
any people recycle because they
understand the importance of
saving natural resources and keeping
valuable materials out of the landfill.
Others recycle to make a few dollars
at the redemption center. However,
not everyone knows the merits of
recycling and often think that just one
person can’t make a difference. The
interesting facts* listed below provide
some incredible insight into the
importance of recycling each and every
recyclable item we use.
n At least 4,000 years is how long it takes glass to
break down naturally. (That’s a long time!) Glass
is only broken down by weathering and
physical crushing or pounding. However, if
you recycle that glass bottle or jar, it will
only take eight to 12 weeks for it to be
recycled and returned to the store shelf.
n It can take up to 500 years for an
aluminum can to decompose in our landfills.
But, for every aluminum can you recycle,
enough energy is saved to burn a 100-watt
incandescent light bulb for nearly four hours or
run a television for three hours.
n Plastics bottles never really decompose,
they just break down into smaller and
smaller pieces, which never leave the
environment. However, if you recycle just
five plastic bottles, enough fiberfill is
created to stuff a ski jacket
n Each ton (2000 pounds) of recycled
paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons
of oil, three cubic yards of landfill
space, 4000 kilowatts of energy, and
7000 gallons of water. This represents a
64% energy savings, a 58% water savings,
and 60 pounds less of air pollution!
n A single quart of motor oil, if disposed of improperly,
can contaminate up to two million gallons of fresh
water. However, motor oil never wears out; it
just gets dirty so it can be recycled, re-refined
and used again.
*These recycling facts have been compiled from
various sources including CalRecycle’s publication,
“Recycling Facts and Fun”, the National Recycling
Coalition, the Environmental Protection Agency, and
Earth911.org. While we make every effort to provide
accurate information, we make no warranty or guarantee
that the facts presented here are exact.
Household Hazardous Waste Events
The Yolo County Central Landfill will begin weekly
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) drop-off events
effective October 1, 2010. Events will be held every
Friday and Saturday at the Landfill’s HHW facility
located at 44090 County Road 28H. For directions,
please visit: www.yolocounty.org or call
(530) 666-8729.
Acceptable items include paint, household
cleaners, automotive fluids, syringes (containerized),
fluorescent lights, propane tanks and pool chemicals.
For more information, please visit:
www.westsacrecycles.org or call (916) 617-4590.
When you visit the HHW drop-off event, don’t
forget to check out the reuse center! The reuse
center offers free usable products during the HHW
events. Available products vary, but may include paint,
household cleaners, herbicides and pool chemicals.
These products are received at the HHW
drop-off event in usable condition and
offered back to the public for those
who can use them.
*Disclaimer: The City of West Sacramento Division of Refuse & Recycling is not liable for any information, errors or omissions in the listing of recycling and disposal opportunities in this newsletter. Nor do we endorse any particular business or guarantee the ongoing accuracy of any information
regarding materials, services or products.
Curby’s
Corner
Q:
A:
What kinds of things are made from my recyclables?
Each recyclable item that is placed in the curbside recycling cart will have a new life after reaching the
recycling center and beyond. Some of the most common items made from recycled plastic bottles and cans are
listed below**.
• Aluminum cans are recycled into new aluminum cans, pie plates, baseball bats,
thumb tacks, aluminum foil and even license plates. And, aluminum can be
recycled over and over again without losing any of its characteristic attributes - there is no loss of quality in using recycled aluminum.
• The majority of recycled glass beverage containers are used to make new glass
containers. Some are used in fiberglass and “glasphalt” for highway construction.
Like aluminum, glass can be recycled over and over again, saving natural
resources and energy.
• Plastic beverage containers are recycled into a variety of things including fiberfill
for sleeping bags, plastic lumber, and containers for non-food products, toys,
compost bins, rulers, T-shirts and backpacks.
The City of West Sacramento strives to lead by example and support recycled product markets by purchasing many items made
from recycled materials. For example, combination trash and recycling receptacles located in the Galleria and on each floor of
City Hall are made from 100% post-consumer plastic. In fact they are made from used plastic milk jugs! The City also purchases
recycled content paper. The amount of recycled content paper purchased by the City in 2009 saved the equivalent of about 92
trees***.
** Information gathered from CalRecycle’s publication, “Recycling Facts and Fun”
***Environmental impact estimates were made using the Environmental Defense Fund Paper Calculator. For more information
visit http://www.papercalculator.org.
Pick-up/Clean-up
Fluorescent
Light Recycling
Fluorescent lights are banned from
disposal and must not be placed in
your trash, recycling, or yard waste
carts. Fluorescent tubes and compact
fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are accepted
at no charge at the Yolo County Central
Landfill HHW drop-off events and at
the following NEW location in West
Sacramento:
2010 Coast &
Creek Clean-up
The 2010 Coast and Creek Cleanup on Saturday,
September 25th marks the 26th year of the California
Coastal Cleanup Day program. The Coast and Creek
Cleanup Day is a great event to involve families in caring
for and protecting their local water bodies. It is also an
opportunity for students to earn community services hours
by helping to clean up trash in their local communities.
This year’s event in West Sacramento will take place at
the River City Rowing Club Boathouse just north of the Port
of West Sacramento off of Industrial Blvd. from 9:00 AM
until noon, September 25, 2010. For more information or to
register to volunteer, visit www.putahcreekcouncil.org.
Recycle City
(CFLs & fluorescent tubes)
3348 Jefferson Blvd Mon & Wed–Sat
9 am to 4 pm • (916) 617-2007
Refuse & Recycling Division • (916) 617-4590
Printed on recycled paper.