I wrote this a few weeks ago, but I still wonder about the issue. Since my computer is still down and I only have a short time on my husband's computer tonight, I'll post this for your entertainment. I'll talk to the doctor tomorrow (I hope) and both girls are still sick.
If it doesn't get used again, is it still recycled? With the economy, the recyclables market has dropped to almost nothing. At this point, at least in this part of Michigan, the recycling centers continue to collect recyclables. But they can't get rid of them and when they do, it doesn't cover their expenses.
Sadly only 6.7% of my city recycles...I didn't forget any digits! The average for other Great Lakes State is 26% and for the nation it's around 32%. The car industry has been eating away at my city for so long that in 2005, budget woes forced this city to get rid of curbside recycling since at the time only 17% of the residences participated.
Here at my house, we are probably one of those households that will always find a way to recycle. And we love our recycling bin as those clean containers have provided hours of creative fun. I often find my clean cans and aseptic boxes being reused as homes for small plastic toys, as parts of imaginary weather equipment or as musical instruments. On recycling days I usually have to rescue various containers from far flung corners so that they actually get recycled. But I wonder if I will always be able to recycle?
Currently, I pay a nice young guy to pick up my recycling and take it to the recycling center. It's cleaner and neater than me trying to stock pile and go once in a while. And it supports a local business. But he had to raise his priced recently because of the drop in the recycling market.
And consider this, the recycling plant in the county could sell a ton of office paper for $400 in the summer of 2008. Now the price is $60. A ton of cardboard sold for $100-130, now it's $25.
A ton of tin sold for $300-400, now no one will buy it. I wonder how long that plant can continue to accept materials for recycling. They've already done lay offs (who hasn't?) and started storing up tin hoping things will look better soon.
4 comments:
We recycle at our house.
I believe it was The Saginaw News that ran an article about the market for recycling dropping.
I still have curb side recycle pick up weekly and my bin is always full. I will continue to use it while it is available and figure out something else if they stop offering recycle pick-up.
that is sad. I need to get back to recycling.
I need to talk to you further on this subject. I want to recycle and have no idea where to start.
Kara. The recycling guys are Earthfirst.
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