State’s recycling rate sets record, surpasses 50 percent
December 18, 2012
NEW — 12:30 p.m. Dec. 18, 2012
The statewide recycling rate reached the highest level ever recorded and surpassed 50 percent last year, according data released Tuesday by the state Department of Ecology.
The announcement marked the first time the statewide recycling rate topped the 50 percent goal set in a 1989 state law. The national average recycling rate reached 34 percent in 2010, according to the latest available data.
State officials said Washington residents continue to recycle more and throw away less. The statewide recycling rate for 2011 reached 50.7 percent.
The amount of municipal waste recycled by state residents increased by more than 186,000 tons in 2011 — up 4 percent from 2010 — or 3.64 pounds per person per day collected for recycling. The figure is the highest ever measured in Washington since the Department of Ecology started measuring recycling in 1986.
State’s recycling rate increases to highest level yet
December 20, 2011
Washington’s recycling rate increased to the highest level ever on record last year, reaching 49 percent.
The information comes from a report released Dec. 14 from the state Department of Ecology. Officials said Washington residents recycled more and tossed less in the trash.
The total amount of municipal waste recycled by state residents increased by more than 540,000 tons last year — up 14 percent from 2009. The total amount of waste disposed from households and businesses decreased through the recession.
The trend continued in 2010 as disposal dropped by about 65,000 tons, or 1 percent.
The statewide recycling goal — established in a 1989 state law — is 50 percent. The national average for recycling last year reached 34 percent.
Washington recycling rate increases to highest level yet
December 14, 2011
NEW — 11 a.m. Dec. 14, 2011
Washington’s recycling rate increased to the highest level ever on record last year, reaching 49 percent.
The information comes from a report released Wednesday from the state Department of Ecology. Officials said Washington residents recycled more and tossed less in the trash.
The total amount of municipal waste recycled by state residents increased by more than 540,000 tons last year — up 14 percent from 2009. The total amount of waste disposed from households and businesses decreased through the recession.
The trend continued in 2010 as disposal dropped by about 65,000 tons, or 1 percent.
“Reducing and recycling waste have economic, environmental and public health benefits for our state’s residents,” Laurie Davies, Waste 2 Resources Program manager for the Department of Ecology, said in a statement. “It protects our water, reduces our exposure to toxic chemicals which lowers health risks, and can build a clean, ‘green’ economy for Washington’s future.”
Issaquah businesses, government honored, ranked as top recyclers
July 12, 2011
Reusing office supplies at City Hall, recycling at local schools and businesses’ efforts to cut waste landed Issaquah officials and entrepreneurs on King County’s Best Workplaces for Recycling and Waste Reduction list July 1.
The county Solid Waste Division recognized 89 organizations in the annual awards. In Issaquah, the honorees include established “green” organizations and a newcomer, Outsource Marketing.
Each organization boasts exceptional recycling programs and a commitment to reducing waste. Issaquah municipal government and the Issaquah School District made the list. So did Pogacha, Rowley Properties and Timber Ridge at Talus.
Issaquah businesses, government honored for recycling
July 5, 2011
NEW — 8 a.m. July 5, 2011
Reusing office supplies at City Hall, recycling at local schools and business’ efforts to cut waste landed Issaquah officials and entrepreneurs on King County’s Best Workplaces for Recycling and Waste Reduction list July 1.
The county Solid Waste Division recognized 89 organizations in the annual awards. In Issaquah, the honorees include established “green” organizations and a newcomer, Outsource Marketing.
Each organization boasts exceptional recycling programs a commitment to reducing waste. Issaquah municipal government and the Issaquah School District made the list. So did Pogacha, Rowley Properties and Timber Ridge at Talus.
Options abound for dumping household hazardous waste
May 29, 2011
NEW — 8 a.m. May 29, 2011
Ditch old alkaline batteries without tossing them into the garbage at a household hazardous waste disposal facility in King County.
“Batteries come in all sizes, shapes and purposes, and it has been confusing for residents who are trying to dispose of them safely,” Jay Watson, Local Hazardous Waste Management Program administrator, said in a news release. “Residents can bring in alkaline batteries, as well as lead acid, button, lithium, Ni-Cad and other rechargeable batteries for disposal. We appreciate that they are using our services to keep pollutants like mercury out of our environment.”
Some of the batteries contain mercury and other dangerous materials.
Find a disposal location or call the Household Hazards Line at 206-296-4692 or 1-888-869-4233.
Guest Column
May 24, 2011
Spring Cleaning Week helps residents clear out the clutter
Winning the war against clutter can be tremendously satisfying. That may be why a whole industry has developed around fighting clutter.
You can see it on Oprah, and you can ooh and ah at the worst cases on shows like “Hoarders.” You can even pay an organization coach to get your clutter under control — if you’re willing to pay up to $50 an hour.
But you can also just take a few easy steps on your own. Because cutting clutter means reducing waste, the King County “Recycle More. It’s Easy to Do.” program designated May 9-13 as Spring Cleaning Week. You can find lots of resources at www.kingcounty.gov/recyclemore, but here are a few to get you going.
County honors district schools as Earth Heroes
April 12, 2011
King County is honoring Grand Ridge Elementary School — plus teachers, a student and a staff member from the Issaquah School District — as Earth Heroes at School.
The annual honor highlights schools and people for contributions to environmental protection and student environmental education. The county Department of Natural Resources and Parks’ Solid Waste Division announced the 2011 honorees March 30.
“Winners of the Earth Heroes at School awards are a diverse group who share the common goal of making our world a better place,” County Executive Dow Constantine said in a statement. “It is an honor to recognize their achievements in environmental education, waste reduction, energy conservation and other positive efforts.”
Off the Press
April 5, 2011
Recycling in Issaquah is a not-so-dirty job
My grandma spoils my sweet tooth. For holidays, birthdays or just for a lark, she’ll whip up a chocolate cherry cake or a marble pound cake, box it and mail it across the whole county, straight to me.
Laura Geggel Press reporter
Her famous kiffles — thin dough wrapped around a bounty of nuts and jelly — always disappear quickly, but the packaging peanuts stick around, and not just static-electricity wise.
For years, I am ashamed to admit, I would throw them away. In my defense, I didn’t know what to do with them. I would reuse them if I could, but it wasn’t often I needed packaging peanuts to send presents.
Now. as an avid recycler, I know just what to do with packaging peanuts. The UPS Store on Northwest Gilman Boulevard will take and reuse them. The store also recycles bubble wrap, another helpful packaging tool that often gets tossed into the trash once its work is done.
Now that I have a venue to recycle packaging material, I started thinking of places I could recycle other things, like plastic bags, cellphones or alkaline batteries.
It turns out that Issaquah is a haven for recycling just about everything.
King County executive aims to overhaul electronics recycling
March 4, 2011
NEW — 8 a.m. March 4, 2011
King County could break ground by requiring responsible electronics recycling for county departments.
County Executive Dow Constantine proposed legislation last week to ensure all county agencies recycle computer monitors, mobile phones, TVs and other discarded electronics through environmentally sound practices.
The county could become the first in the state — and the second in the United States — to enact such a measure.
“King County agencies recycled more than 90,000 pounds of electronic equipment in 2010 and they did it the right way — under contract with an excellent local e-Steward recycler Total Reclaim,” Constantine said in a release. “This ordinance will ensure that our agencies always use an approved recycler and pursue the most responsible recycling practices for their electronic waste.”
