News Bits
Group promotes textile recycling
A coalition of clothing brands, retailers, municipalities, charitable organizations and recycling companies have launched a new website to accompany a public outreach campaign focused on the importance of recycling clothing and textiles.
The Council for Textile Recycling has launched a website called www.weardonaterecycle.org that seeks to advance the organization's slogan of "Wear. Donate. Recycle." The website aims to educate consumers on the importance of recycling all clothing and textiles, not just those that are gently worn. The organization also hopes to highlight how 95 percent of clothing and textiles are recyclable.
"Our goal is to have zero post-consumer textile waste going into landfills by 2037," said Eric Stubin, CTR chairman of the board, in a prepared statement. "In the U.S., the average person discards 70 pounds of their old clothing, shoes and household textiles in their local landfill each year. We're educating people that clothing and textiles are among the most recyclable items in their home."
(Source: Resource-Recycling.com)
WWF creates The Living Planet @ Work program
Do you want to work for an environmentally responsible company?
If you answered yes, then according to research released today by WWF, you are among the 86% of Canadians that do.
WWF estimates there are a billion decisions made in workplaces every day in Canada. Imagine how the world would change if each one of those decisions took the future of our planet into account.
Attached is a press release about a new joint program between WWF & HP Canada.
The Living Planet @ Work program, championed by HP, provides the strategic guidance, tools, and support that empowers companies to rethink their operations and find greener ways of doing business. The target, by 2014, is:
- to recruit 500 companies to commit to Living Planet @ Work,
- to engage 100,000 employees in WWF’s conservation campaigns,
- and to raise $1 million for the environment through workplace giving.
Ultimately, the goal is to facilitate a major shift in how business decisions, and the people who make them, contribute to the conservation of our planet.
For more information, see attached press release, or visit atwork.wwf.ca.
Reclaiming recyclables from old Calgary landfill
A local Calgary company wants to buy a nearby landfill and salvage three decades worth of construction waste from the site.
ECCO Waste Systems LP says it can recycle up to 80 per cent of the concrete, asphalt, and other material in the dump before turning around and selling approximately 16 acres of the site for redevelopment. The dump was closed in 1994. During its life, it took in dry waste like construction rubble, but no household garbage.
ECCO estimates it would cost $140 million over 10 years, which it believes can be recouped through the eventual sale of the land and revenues from the recycling of materials.
Dave Griffiths, Calgary’s manager of waste and recycling services, calls the proposal intriguing, but said a number of issues have to be considered.
(Source: calgaryherald.com)
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SARA: New Sask. Automotive Recyclers Association
History was made recently when the independent auto recycling industry and SGI Salvage formed the Saskatchewan Automotive Recyclers Association (SARA). At the organizational meeting, with the assistance of the Automotive Recyclers of Canada (ARC), bylaws were approved, membership criteria established and an interim Board of Directors elected.
SARA is utilizing the National Code of Practice for Auto Recycling for their membership criteria. Fletcher informed the gathering on activities of the national association, all of which will be made available to SARA and its members. He added, “We expect that SARA will make a formal application to join ARC in the (Summer), at which time SGI Salvage, one of the founding Members of ARC, will step aside and allow the new association to represent all Saskatchewan auto recyclers.”
(Source: americanrecycling.net in October 2011 WasteWatch)
Futuristic ‘airships’ to be built for North
British manufacturer HAV will build a fleet of airships for Yellowknife’s Discovery Air to supply remote communities and enterprises in the North.
The futuristic giant blimps from Hybrid Air Vehicles will cost $40M each.
The aircraft uses a mix of non-flammable helium and air power to fly and can land on almost any surface. They’ll be able to carry up to 50 tonnes of cargo to mining camps and remote communities.
Hybrid Air Vehicles and Discovery Air Innovations are working together to design the airship for the North and get it through the certification process.
Discovery Air, which faced major financial problems two years ago and needed assistance from the Northwest Territories government, says it plans to buy up to 45 airships and hopes to have them operational by 2014.
HAV says technological improvements have allowed for an airship much better than the original concept. “With a cargo capacity of 50 tonnes at speeds up to 185 km/h, we believe this capability will enable economic development of remote, stranded resources with a low environmental impact,” HAV said on its website.
(Source: Solid Waste & Recycling in October 2011 WasteWatch)
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Saskatoon to get curbside, no glass
Saskatoon will have a mandatory curbside recycling program sometime in 2012. Their City Council approved the program at its June 9 meeting. The decision means the city will seek proposals from firms looking to provide the service and the final request-for-proposal details will be submitted to council at a future date.
The Council voted to exclude glass from the curbside recycling program. Glass makes up a small portion of recycling material that would be collected and some argue that glass contaminates the paper product collected in a co-mingled system.
(Source: Star Phoenix)
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BC launches small appliances recycling program October 1
On October 1st, 2011, the Canadian Electrical Stewardship Association (CESA) launched the Unplugged - the Small Appliance Recycling Program in British Columbia. A wide range of small appliances are included in the program according to the following categories: air treatment, countertop, floor care, personal care, garment care, weight measurement and time measurement. This program is funded by eco fees remitted to the association by its members (producers of the program products) based on product category and sales in BC. CESA is currently coordinating recycling facilities throughout BC so that British Columbians can conveniently and safely discard small appliances. A map of all the locations is posted on their website to help consumers locate the closest facility in their neighborhoods. To learn about the kinds of small appliances included in this program visit the website and click on "accepted products".
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