Seattle Sets Recycling Record for 2008
Mayor Greg Nickels announced that Seattle has set a new city record for recycling in 2008. According to the Associated Press, the city recycled 50 percent of its waste, meaning half of the city’s residential and commercials waste was diverted from a landfill.
Seattle's recycling rate continues to increase annually due to accessibility for all types of materials including food and yard waste. Photo: Worldchanging.com
This is the fifth year that Seattle has continually raised its recycling rate, up 1.8 percent from 2007.
According to West Seattle Herald, single-family residents recycled or composting 65.4 percent of its waste while multi-family residents recycles 28.3 percent of their waste.
“The credit for this milestone really belongs to everyone in Seattle for taking small, simple steps every day,” said Mayor Nickels. “People have taken recycling to heart. It’s part of our values, and what makes Seattle a great place.”
Recycling rates are expected to increase as the city launched new residential service on March 30.
This will include single-stream recycling, food scrap recycling (including meat, fish and dairy) and electronics and used motor oil recycling programs.
Seattle’s recycling facilities have also made significant upgrades. Food and yard waste will now be accepted through a high-tech facility where an advanced process breaks down harmful bacteria and chemicals, turning the waste into compost for local parks and gardens.
In addition to accessibility, the city also passed a 20 cent plastic bag fee law in 2008 that encourages the use of reusable bags.
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Eco Encore
posted on August 3rd, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Great article about an awesome Seattle milestone that will only improve over time. It’s important to remember also that recycling is more than just about diverting household and commercial trash from landfills. Recycling is also about keeping items like books and CDs, and other wood and plastic products like furniture, in use as long as possible. Needing to buy new items less and less reduces their overall production and consumption and the resulting depletion of natural resources–which is what recycling is all about in the first place, and the driving force behind what we do at Eco Encore.