Issue date: 10/25/07 Section: Showcase

Media Credit: Emily Hartwig

It is estimated about 32 percent of the waste produced in the United States is recycled, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, a figure that has doubled in the past 15 years.

But there is still much college students living in the Eau Claire County do not know about recycling.

Senior Tiffany Witucki said she thinks many people recycle.

"I think that people are pretty aware about recycling," she said.

Although she has the city of Eau Claire's recycling guidelines posted in her house, Witucki said she doesn't know the difference between the different types of plastics. Knowing the guidelines of how to recycle in Eau Claire can make recycling easier.

Aluminum

Although one empty aluminum can is worth about one cent, that same can recycled is the equivalent to the same amount of energy it takes to keep a 100 watt light bulb burning for four hours or keeping a television set on for three consecutive hours, according the Aluminum Association.

Recycling aluminum cans in Eau Claire is easy, according to the Eau Claire County Recycling Program. Cans need to be rinsed and can be recycled via curbside service or can be brought to a private drop-off recycling center. The program recommends crushing any cans to save space in the household.

Batteries

Automotive batteries should be recycled because they contain lead, the most common environmental poison for young children, according to the United States Public Health Service. Lead is a neuro-toxin that attaches to an enzyme that controls brain activity. Once in the brain, it remains there permanently and causes irreversible brain damage.

As dangerous as lead batteries are, they are easy to recycle. Wisconsin state law requires all retailers who sell automotive batteries accept used batteries for recycling. Many times if a battery is returned at the time of purchase of a new battery, there is no cost, according to the Eau Claire County Recycling Program Web site.

Cardboard

All residents of Eau Claire County are required by law to recycle corrugated cardboard. The term corrugated cardboard refers to a packaging product with two outside walls and an inside grooved or ridged paper. Materials such as soda and cereal boxes are not made from cardboard, but rather boxboard or paperboard, which are made from different materials, including glue or formaldehyde, according to the Eau Claire County Web site.

County law requires all corrugated cardboard be flattened or broken down from its original shape because un-flattened boxes take up space and make the recycling process more expensive, according to the Eau Claire County Recycling Program's Web site.

The program also notes that any cardboard that is contaminated with grease, oil, food or wax - pizza boxes, for example - will not be accepted for recycling and should be thrown in the trash.

Corrugated cardboard can be recycled through a curbside service or dropped off at a private recycling center.

Plastic bottles

Both state and county law requires all residents to recycle all plastic food and beverage bottles labeled #1 (PETE) or #2 (HDPE).

Witucki said she wasn't really sure of the difference between the types of plastic.

"Some people can look at a bottle and know 'oh, this is plastic number one and it goes here,' I don't even know what that means," she said.

The #1 plastic is always used in soda bottles and commonly used in juice containers, ketchup and salad dressing bottles and peanut butter jars, according to the Eau Claire County Recycling Program Web site.

The #2 plastic is used to make milk and water jugs as well as laundry and soap containers.

The program Web site also notes that if any plastic containers contain, or at one point contained, any hazardous material, such as motor oil, they should be thrown in the trash instead of being recycled.

Paper

Paper makes up the largest portion of municipal waste, according to the American Forest and Paper Association.

In 2006, recycled paper in the United States averaged 357 pounds per person, including children. Recycling paper conserves resources, saves energy and prevents emissions of greenhouse gasses.

Magazine and newspapers can be picked up by a curbside service or dropped off at a recycling center. Paper items like spiral bound notebooks or paperback books can be dropped of at a recycling center, according to the Eau Claire County Recycling Program Web site.

It's not just recycling

Recycling is an important way to slow the pollution of the environment, but in a recent interview with Good Morning America, Stephen J. Dubner, co-author of "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything," explained that even the recycling industry, though trying to help the environment, uses energy and can cause pollution. Dubner stressed the most important thing people can do to help protect the environment is not to recycle their waste, but to reduce the amount of waste created.

The EPA recommends consumers look for products with minimal packaging and products that are in toxin-free packaging. It also recommends buying durable, long-lasting goods that will not need frequent replacement and reusing as many items as possible.

Junior Brenda Blume said living in the residence halls and having recycling receptacles close by make her more aware that she needs to recycle.

Witucki agreed, adding she thinks many college students are aware of issues concerning recycling and that the university and city of Eau Claire make recycling accessible and self-explanatory with clearly marked recycling bins.

"The university makes it easy," Witucki said. "If it's easy, why not (do it)?"

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