Solid waste rates down, recycling up
by Anna Oakes
Watauga County's and North Carolina's solid waste disposal
rates have continued to decrease in recent years, which officials attribute to both the economy and
to increased recycling.
North Carolinians threw away less per capita in fiscal year 2010-11 than at any time in nearly 20 years, according to the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
“The 2010-11 North Carolina Solid Waste and Materials Management Report indicates a historic drop in the state per capita disposal rate, which fell below one ton per person for the first time since fiscal year 1991-92,” according to a DENR news release. “Continuing recycling efforts and decreased statewide construction contributed to this development.”
The state per capita disposal rate in 2010-11 was .99 tons; the previous rate was 1.07 tons per capita.
Information for the report was compiled from 644 local government annual reports and from 370 solid waste management facilities, the release stated.
Watauga County also saw a decrease in solid waste disposal.
According to figures provided by Watauga County recycling manager Lisa Doty, the county disposed of 39,748 tons of solid waste in 2010-11, down from 42,603 tons in 2009-10.
Recycled materials increased during the same time period, from 3,656 tons in 2009-10 to 4,038 tons in 2010-11, she said.
Watauga's numbers include collections from the town of Boone.
“The majority of our reduction in trash had to do with buildings,” Doty said. “With the economy, the trash numbers have gone down, as well. What we're seeing a lot less of is our building materials.” But, she added, “We are seeing great participation in our recycling.”
Materials accepted for recycling at county convenience centers have expanded in recent years to include pasteboard and rigid plastics (hard plastics that are not bottles and not marked as No. 1 or No. 2). Many grocery stores now accept plastic bags for recycling.
Solid waste collected in Boone amounted to 1,703 tons in 2010-11, decreasing slightly from 1,732 tons in 2009-10, said Marsha Story, Boone's sanitation and recycling coordinator.
Recycling increased by 169 tons, with 2,104 tons collected in 2010-11 and 1,935 collected in 2009-10, she said.
Story said she would like to see collection of rigid plastics in the town of Boone. Currently, the only site that accepts rigid plastics for recycling is the county's landfill convenience center.
Story said she is also applying for a grant to fund a program that would loan recycling bins for events.
At Appalachian State University, 1,975.67 tons of solid waste went to the landfill, while 1,228.37 tons were diverted for reuse or recycling in 2010-11 — a waste diversion rate of 38 percent.
In 2009-10, 1,822.69 tons of landfill waste was collected, compared to 1,219.31 tons for reuse or recycling, a 40 percent waste diversion rate that year.
“We seemed to have reached a plateau at around 40 percent diversion during the last couple of years, so now we are beginning to understand what zero waste looks like for our campus community and we will begin to head in the direction of zero waste as a university,” said Jennifer Maxwell, resource conservation specialist at ASU. “We will begin to evaluate not only what we are throwing away, but what we are purchasing, as well. We are developing a waste reduction strategic plan to work toward this goal.”
North Carolinians threw away less per capita in fiscal year 2010-11 than at any time in nearly 20 years, according to the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
“The 2010-11 North Carolina Solid Waste and Materials Management Report indicates a historic drop in the state per capita disposal rate, which fell below one ton per person for the first time since fiscal year 1991-92,” according to a DENR news release. “Continuing recycling efforts and decreased statewide construction contributed to this development.”
The state per capita disposal rate in 2010-11 was .99 tons; the previous rate was 1.07 tons per capita.
Information for the report was compiled from 644 local government annual reports and from 370 solid waste management facilities, the release stated.
Watauga County also saw a decrease in solid waste disposal.
According to figures provided by Watauga County recycling manager Lisa Doty, the county disposed of 39,748 tons of solid waste in 2010-11, down from 42,603 tons in 2009-10.
Recycled materials increased during the same time period, from 3,656 tons in 2009-10 to 4,038 tons in 2010-11, she said.
Watauga's numbers include collections from the town of Boone.
“The majority of our reduction in trash had to do with buildings,” Doty said. “With the economy, the trash numbers have gone down, as well. What we're seeing a lot less of is our building materials.” But, she added, “We are seeing great participation in our recycling.”
Materials accepted for recycling at county convenience centers have expanded in recent years to include pasteboard and rigid plastics (hard plastics that are not bottles and not marked as No. 1 or No. 2). Many grocery stores now accept plastic bags for recycling.
Solid waste collected in Boone amounted to 1,703 tons in 2010-11, decreasing slightly from 1,732 tons in 2009-10, said Marsha Story, Boone's sanitation and recycling coordinator.
Recycling increased by 169 tons, with 2,104 tons collected in 2010-11 and 1,935 collected in 2009-10, she said.
Story said she would like to see collection of rigid plastics in the town of Boone. Currently, the only site that accepts rigid plastics for recycling is the county's landfill convenience center.
Story said she is also applying for a grant to fund a program that would loan recycling bins for events.
At Appalachian State University, 1,975.67 tons of solid waste went to the landfill, while 1,228.37 tons were diverted for reuse or recycling in 2010-11 — a waste diversion rate of 38 percent.
In 2009-10, 1,822.69 tons of landfill waste was collected, compared to 1,219.31 tons for reuse or recycling, a 40 percent waste diversion rate that year.
“We seemed to have reached a plateau at around 40 percent diversion during the last couple of years, so now we are beginning to understand what zero waste looks like for our campus community and we will begin to head in the direction of zero waste as a university,” said Jennifer Maxwell, resource conservation specialist at ASU. “We will begin to evaluate not only what we are throwing away, but what we are purchasing, as well. We are developing a waste reduction strategic plan to work toward this goal.”