Growing Trash Problem: Is Recycling Helping Or Hurting?
The Los Alamos County Eco Station. Courtesy/LAC
BY KIRSTEN LASKEYLos Alamos Daily Post
You don't think that much about trash? Well, maybe it's time to pay attention to garbage because it is piling up and shows no signs of stopping.
And if you think tossing things into the recycling blue bin is helping, think again.
Environmental Services Manager Armando Gabaldon said there is a growing issue of people improperly discarding non-recyclable items into the recycling bins at the curbside and at the Lemon Lot and Overlook Convenience Center drop-off sites.
Common issues, he said, are recyclables being bagged and yard waste getting discarded in recycling bins. He noted that it's difficult to know people's reasoning for doing this as it may be just honest mistakes. Some, he suggested, may perceive the blue bins to be used as containers for trash overflow.
The Environmental Services Division staff do what they can to address the issue, Gabaldon said.
"We try to catch some of those containments at the curb or when we are dumping the load at the transfer station," Gabaldon said. "If there's loose garbage mixed in the load, we back drag the load with our equipment and place it in the waste stream. We are not a hand sorting facility."
With limited resources, there is only so much Environmental Services can do. Gabaldon said the Overlook Convenience Center in White Rock recently got cameras but since it is a 24-hour facility, trying to catch any rule-breakers is a time-consuming task. Consideration has been given to developing procedures and outlining consequences for such behaviors.
"The majority of the community is conscientious and knows how to recycle properly, and some are even eager to recycle more. However, this is a small group that simply neglects their responsibility," he said.
Some people, Gabaldon said, prioritize discarding waste without concern for proper disposal, shifting the burden onto others. This behavior undermines the recycling effort of those who are committed to following the rules.
How to combat this is difficult; Gabaldon said he has considered doing more public outreach and he encourages people to go to the Environmental Services webpage to download the Recycle Coach app, which answers any questions about what can and can't be recycled.
He added that he is considering posting stickers with QR codes that people could scan to get more information on recycling.
As a general guideline, broken-down cardboard, plastics one through seven, mail, newspapers, aluminum and steel cans are accepted at drop-off sites. Things that cannot be included in blue recycling bins are Styrofoam, light bulbs, batteries, paper towels and napkins, plastic bags and food-soiled containers. Mattresses and all other furniture are not allowed either.
Glass recycling can be rinsed bottles and jars that are placed in the designated yellow containers. Window panes, glass tabletops, microwave turn plates are not allowed but can be taken to the Eco Station.
So far this year, Gabaldon said 14,280 tons of garbage has been trucked to the landfill in Rio Rancho while 1,492 tons of recycling has been sent to BARCO Albuquerque Recycling Center. What happens when garbage gets thrown into the recycling bin is the entire load will get sent to the landfill.
And the landfill is filling up. The Rio Rancho landfill, which is where Los Alamos' trash is sent, is expected to reach its capacity in two-and-a-half years. The landfill's permit also has two-and-a-half years remaining. Whichever comes first will determine when the landfill is shut down. As a result, Los Alamos County Council recently approved a $10.997 million contract to truck the waste to Valencia. The contract goes into effect in January.
Gabaldon said Valencia is an attractive option because its tipping fees are less than Rio Rancho; however, it is further away. It will be a 260 mile round trip. Plus, Valencia only operates Monday through Friday. Rio Rancho will accept Los Alamos' waste on Saturdays but only for the next two-and-a-half years.
Recycling is a tough game; even if it is done correctly, there is a limited market for recycled materials, Gabaldon said. "The U.S. needs to develop a more effective system for processing the materials we encourage people to recycle, but we still lack a clear source-to-market solution for those materials," he said.
Take big box stores, for instance. Gabaldon said the big chains purchase "virgin" plastic over recycled because the recycled material is more expensive.
What it seems to come down to is changing human behavior. Gabaldon joked that he wishes he could come up with a catchy jingle that would stick with people enough to make a difference.
While a tune cannot hurt, perhaps what is truly needed is empathy; people need to decide whether they care enough to change for the better.
