URGENT UPDATE: No market for plastic bags now 11/18/08

As you may have seen in the news recently, the market for many recyclables is once again shifting and changing along with the economy - for the worse. Indeed I just got word by phone (Thu a.m. 11/18/08) from Jeff at Far West Fibers that while they are still accepting plastic film bags from the public, they no longer have a market for it, due to economic changes. So they are literally stuck storing them until and unless they find another market for them again. So, what can you do? Well, the obvious no-brainer is to use re-usable grocery bags at the store, and second to that, request paper. As some of you know, paper is not actually that much better for the environment because it actually uses a lot of precious water and some nasty chemicals in its manufacturing process, not to mention the original trees. And even recycled paper getting re-used is still very chemical and energy intensive. So... try as much as possible to re-use grocery bags. And, try bringing your own containers for buying items in bulk at places like New Seasons to avoid so much packaging in general. They give you a litte weight credit when you do to offset the small weight the conainer adds to your bulk item purchase. Not sure if Safeway and Freddy's do this, but you can try and see. (Can't see why not). I have found all those containers you get cookies and chocolate goodies in at Trader Joe's to be an excellent size and weight to buy things like almonds, flour, sugar, nuts, etc from New Seasons.

Jeff at Far West also confirmed that they can't really take the non-stretchy crinkly plastics either - so try to keep those out. (Alas, they must go in the garbage now). He said they are allowed a small percentage of contamination - or have been till now that is, but it's not really good. (That's why Portland Recycling Centers was saying they could take ALL plastic bags/film, even crinkly ones - they can't really, but were getting away with it). And as the market tanks, I imagine this becomes even more critical to avoid. And, all the grocery stores that take our plastic bags back also just send them to Far West:). So, guess what? Far West is it. And if they can't process this stuff and find a market for it, no one can. Boo hiss. Also, no one can take the metallic anti-static bags that electronics parts come in. Free Geek does re-use them as much as possible, but then has to throw them away in the end. It's because of the metal in them.

Further, I finally made it up to Porltand Recycling Centers this weekend in N Portland (corner of Denver and Rosa Parks Blvd), and learned that they are actually just a drop site for Far West Fibers (they have been for a while), who is actually buying them out next month. However, they package and manage the materials differently at their site, so they cannot accept quite all the same things that Far West does. They use a large compactor to smush all the same non-glass recyclables we currently put in our co-mingled curbside bins into giant bales that are then trucked to Far West's Hillsboro plant where it is sorted. So actually, all the OTHER rigid plastics that we have been able to recycle at the SE and other Far West Depots will just make that messy (this per Jeff just now). It has to do with the machinery on the other end that manages to sort it. So I would urge you to take all the smaller items (e.g. solo cups and lids, small bottle caps and the easily breakable polystyrene clamshell containers you get from delis' and restaurants) to one of Far Wests's actual drop off depots - SE Portland being the best (on SE 17th just off of Holgate), where it goes into its own bin that they can manage better, vs being co-mingled. (I haven't made it to any of their other sites, so can't speak fully to those yet, sorry).

I've also heard word that the Master Recycler's Plastics Roundups are also currently on hold for same reasons - no where to take the stuff once it's collected. So stay tuned for further word on that.

I am so keen on bringing the right things in the right form/conditions to the right place, because if we contaminate loads for our recyclers, their costs go up, and handling increases, and it will make it harder for them to stay in business as the economy tanks even further. Sorry it's such a pain, but consider that every bit we do to help will help keep these great businesses around. Once again, reduce, reuse - then recycle. But we can all start by reducing, first. Just try imagining no place for all this stuff to go. Cuz that's ultimately where we're headed. And operate accordingly. Happy Thanksgiving,

Jan Thu 11/18/08

The latest on

Recycling in Portland

11/18/08

(Per the good people at Metro and Far West Fibers, who know what's up!)

ALL recycling systems require bottles, tubs and cans to be rinsed, empty, with no lids. And NO PLASTIC BAGS IN CURBSIDE/APARTMENT RECYCLING AT ALL . (Do not drop off bags of bottles or plastics in any recycling system. The bags gum up the works and cause loads to be tossed. Nor leave plastic bags or film mixed in, same problem). And currently, there isn't a market for plastic bag recycling actually, tho Far West is working hard on it as I type this. Also, NO CORN BASED PLASTICS either - #7 PLA. (Other #7's are okay, just not PLA or "made from corn". #7 just means "misc", that is not a 1-6).

In general our curbside/apartment recycling is rather limited. That's why I've researched and listed the other great outlets for recycling many more items than curbside can take. I.e, if in doubt, leave it out of your curbside system, and take it to one of the many facilities listed below (e.g. Far West Fibers, Portland Recycling, Total Reclaim, etc.) I've tried to make it as simple as possible.

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Current Portland 2 bin Curbside/apartment Recycling CAN take:

(NO LIDS ON ANY CONTAINERS PLEASE, MUST ALL BE EMPTY AND CLEAN)

A) In separate glass bin only:

Only glass bottles and jars:must keep in separate bin from all other recyclables. Empty, clean, no lids. Also, no light bulbs, lamps, etc. Just clean empty jars and bottles from the kitchen. (Take fluorescent and high intensity flood light bulbs to Metro hazardous waste recycling centers. Normal light bulbs can apparently go to Total Reclaim in NE Portland according to Metro Oct 29, 2008. Call first to be sure).

B) In co-mingled rollout recycling bins:

Plastic bottles and tubs (no lids): bottles with a screw neck top, empty (clean) margarine or yogurt type tubs (No’s 1, 2 and 5 only). NO clamshell food containers (#6). AND NO OTHER PLASTICS WHATSOEVER. (E.g. toys, hangers, lids). All bottles and tubs must be clean, empty, NO LIDS. NO BAGS. (See below for where to take lids and other plastics). You can recycle empty laundry detergent bottles here.

Paper: Newspaper, magazines, and office paper and junk mail. (Envelopes with glassine windows are okay). NO NAPKINS OR TISSUES (this belongs in garbage, or compost). Please enclose shredded paper in a paper bag for ease of handling at facilities. (This is the only time you may contain something in any bag, and it must be paper). No foil lined paper. (e.g. metallic gift wrap).Staples okay. No paper clips. No food-contaminated or waxed containers either. (E.g. no frozen food boxes, or paper coffee cups with waxy insides. These can be composted under proper conditions but are too contaminated for normal paper recycling).

Steel and tin cans: (e.g. soup cans) clean, no lables, flatten as able, and tuck clean lids inside for safety. (I find squishing the top end of the cans with rounded bottoms to help in removing the label, and saving a little space). Clean aluminum foil also okay.

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ALL OTHER RECYCLING:

Call Metro at 503-234-3000 or see www.metro-region.org to keep up on latest recycling outlets for MANY other items including STYROFOAM, ELECTRONICS, batteries and hazardous wastes (old paint, cleaners, fluorescent light bulbs)..

Far West Fibers takes virtually everything except styrofoam and hazardous wastes, and are one of the cheapest and easiest to get to. (Depot at SE 17^th and Holgate). This includes ALL RIGID PLASTICS except styrofoam and now PLA #7 (corn-based plastics). (Other #7's okay). I.e, all the plastic lids, toys, hangers, clean clamshell food containers, other tubs, etc. that the curbside/apartment system does not take (except PLA:). Must be clean.

Styorfoam: Total Reclaim on NE 60th and Columbia - $5/car or truck load. Must be clean. Can take clean meat packaging trays. www.totalreclaim.com

Computers and related items (printers, scanners, mice, keyboards): Free Geek www.freegeek.org (SE 10th and Mill, just south of Hawthorne). Reasonable fees apply.

Televisions and electronics: Bear eCycling on SE 63rd just south of Foster (tucked behind the small nursery store) takes ALL ELECTRONICS EXCEPT anything with freon coolant like Fridges and AC's. Far West does take these. This includes TV's, microwaves, blenders, remotes, toasters, batteries, etc. Basically, if it runs, ran, or ran something electronically, he can take it. There are reasonable fees charged for handling all items. Call for more info: 503-788-2235. www.bearecycling.com. Run by Oso Martin, founder of Free Geek, and fellow rabid responsible elecronics recycler. (He keeps toxics from going overseas for improper disposal). Don't forget you can get a government coupon good for $40 off an analog to digital aerial TV converter box to upgrade old analong TV's if you can't afford cable or a new digital TV.

Find additional info and responsible recycling outlets at:

www.metro-region.org (see “Find a Recycler” under Garbage and Recycling links on left side)
www.farwestfibers.com (take all rigid plastics besides styrofoam, plus much more including books, DVD's and crayons. Separate curbside "quality" recycling from all else however for handling reasons.)
www.portlandrecyclingcenters.com (takes same as Far West Fibers, tho best to take smaller plastics that curbside doesn't currently take to the SE Far West Fibers depot to put in their bin allotte for same, vs the co-mingled baler at the N Portland recycling center. Probably goign to shut down they NW and Lake Oswego sites soon, when Far West takes them over, and may use them for storage vs drop off)

www.enviromom.com (has updates on many ways to reduce, reuse, recycle in Portland)
www.masterrecycler.org (has updates on periodic local Plastics Roundups in Portland area that take all but styro)

www.totalreclaim.com (takes styrofoam in NE Portland - yay:) $5/load

www.buyworms.com for a good local source of red worms for vermicomposting