A Brief History of Recycling
November 19, 2019
November 19, 2019
This guest blog is courtesy of American Disposal Services.
For those of you who think recycling is something that just came about within the last few decades, think again!
Ancient Recycling
The first recorded use of recycled paper was in 9th century Japan . Ancient Japanese people began recycling paper almost as soon as they learned how to produce it and recycling became part of paper production and consumption. Japanese culture generally treats recycled paper as being more precious than new and the recycled paper was often used in paintings and poetry. In the 12 century, a case was recorded of an emperor’s wife: after the emperor died, she recycled all the poems and letters she received from him and wrote a sutra on the recycled paper to wish peace upon his soul.
US Recycling Start
Finally, in 1690, recycling reaches the New World. The Rittenhouse Mill in Philadelphia opens and begins recycling linen and cotton rags. The paper produced from these materials was sold to printers for use in Bibles and newspapers.
World War II
World War II sees massive, universal collection campaigns for tin, rubber, steel, paper and more. More than 400,000 volunteer in the effort and tens of thousands of tons of material are recycled in order to save money for the war efforts. This was a national campaign. Posters and newsreels detailing the materials needed (and why) are abounding. All Americans were on board, and most were excited to help aid the troops by conserving and recycling.
1960s
The first curbside collections of yard waste, metals, and paper start popping up around the county. Separate waste streams collected at the curb become common place.
1970s
- Greater emphasis on green movements through government backed initiatives generates public awareness of conservation efforts.
- Concept of the flower child emerges. Earth Day is celebrated for the first time on April 22, 1970.
- The ‘chasing arrows’ recycling symbol is created by a Southern California architecture student who was trying to win a contest. He has been quoted to say that he never could have imagined the logo he designed would be so widely recognized.
- The first curbside-recycling bin “The Tree Saver” is used in Missouri for the collection of paper in 1974.
- In 1976, Massachusetts secures the first ever EPA recycling grants. With the grant money, they implement weekly multi-material curbside collection programs in two cities and use the first ever residential recycling truck. It costs $20,000.
- By the end of the decade approximately 220 curbside collection programs are under way in the US, about which 60 are multi-material collection.
1980s
- In 1987, The Mobro 4000 (nicknamed “The Garbage Barge”) spends months on the ocean, searching for a location to dispose of its garbage cargo. This saga was widely covered in the media and has been credited with awakening Americans in regard to solid waste and the importance of recycling.
- In that same year, New Jersey enacts the nation’s first universal mandatory recycling law, which requires all residents to separate recyclables from their trash.
- By 1985 America is at 10% nationwide recycling participation.
1990s
- The first ever-statewide ban on landfilling recyclable materials goes into effect, in Wisconsin in 1993. The ban initially prohibits yard wastes in landfills. Later, in 1995, other items (such as tires, aluminum containers, corrugated paper, foam polystyrene, plastic containers and newspapers) are banned as well.
- By 1995 America is at 20% nationwide recycling participation; double what it had been 10 years ago in 1985 and only 3 years later, in 1998, it tops 30%.
2000-Today
- In the early 2000s, organic waste collection at the curb begins on the West Coast (San Francisco).
- Currently, goal setting for ambitious West Coast cities reaches up to 80% recycling participation in some areas.
- In 2011, lawmakers in California adopt a goal to get the state’s recycling rate to 75% by 2020.
- In 2012, McDonalds finally replace their Styrofoam cups with paper ones.
- In 2011, the state of California had set the goal for 75% by 2020. Only one year later, in 2012, San Francisco announces it has achieved an 80% diversion rate for it’s waste….This puts San Francisco 8 years ahead of schedule on that goal, and with 5% MORE waste diverted!
Although this is a condensed list, you can see how far the recycling process has come and it is only becoming MORE accessible and widespread as time goes on! Imagine where we could be in 10 years if we all just Think Before We Throw!
Disclaimer: Guest blogs represent the opinion of the writers and may not reflect the policy or position of the Northeast Recycling Council, Inc.
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The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC), Brattleboro, Vermont, recently released its “ Northeast Flow of Glass Report ,” a regional analysis looking at glass container generation, collection, recycling, disposal, policies and end markets across the 11 states in the 11 Northeast states. The report was developed by NERC’s Glass Committee with support from state agencies, industry partners and stakeholders across the region and builds on the organization’s previous research into glass recovery, processing and end markets. NERC says it is meant to provide a comprehensive snapshot of how glass moves through the Northeast materials management system and highlights opportunities to strengthen glass recycling through policy, infrastructure investment and market development. According to NERC , key findings in the report include: Vermont (79.9 percent) and Connecticut (77 percent)—two states that operate deposit return systems (DRS)—recycled the highest share of glass containers relative to total glass container scrap generated. Connecticut led the region in per capita glass collection at 65.8 pounds per resident. New York collected the greatest total tonnage of glass containers for recycling at 281,065 tons annually, followed by New Jersey with approximately 197,000 tons. Five states in the region operate DRS programs that include glass beverage containers. All Northeast states provide residents with access to curbside and/or drop-off recycling programs. Reporting methodologies vary significantly among states, affecting direct comparisons of recycling performance. Recycled glass supports multiple end markets, including new containers, fiberglass, concrete applications and aggregate products. “Glass is one of the few packaging materials that can be recycled repeatedly with minimal loss of quality,” says NERC Executive Director Megan Schulz-Fontes. “The data show that strong collection systems and supportive policies can significantly increase glass recovery and create valuable feedstock for manufacturers.” NERC says its findings demonstrate that opportunities exist across the region to increase glass recovery through improved collection systems, stronger processing infrastructure and continued end market development. It also claims its analysis reveals “substantial variation” in state reporting methodologies, recycling requirements and collection systems. Per the report, while all Northeast states provide residents with access to curbside and/or drop-off programs, collection models differ considerably. Five states operate DRS programs, several off source-separated glass drop-off programs and Pennsylvania is the only state identified as providing source-separated curbside glass collection in select communities. NERC says these differences present challenges when comparing data across states and highlight the need for continued efforts to improve reporting consistency and transparency. The report notes that recycled glass serves a growing number of end markets, including new glass containers, fiberglass insulation, pozzolan for concrete, foam glass aggregate and other construction applications. “Many of these markets require high-quality glass cullet with low contamination levels, making effective collection and processing systems essential,” NERC writes. Although glass is heavier than many alternative packaging materials and can be more transportation-intensive when moved long distances, NERC reports that increasing local and regional collection, cleaning and processing capacity can improve environmental outcomes. The organization says recycled glass can help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with manufacturing by replacing virgin materials and supporting a more circular economy. NERC says its findings suggest that strategic investments in collection systems, processing infrastructure and end market development could increase glass recovery rates throughout the Northeast while supporting resource conservation, economic development and reductions in GHG emissions. Read on Recycling Today .
The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) has released the Northeast Flow of Glass Report, a regional analysis examining glass container generation, collection, recycling, disposal, policies, and end markets across the eleven Northeast states. Building on NERC’s previous research into glass recovery, processing, and end markets, the report provides a comprehensive snapshot of how glass moves through the Northeast materials management system and identifies opportunities to strengthen glass recycling through policy, infrastructure investment, and market development. Key Findings from the Northeast Flow of Glass Report Vermont (79.9%) and Connecticut (77.0%) recycled the highest share of glass containers relative to total glass container waste generated. Connecticut led the region in per capita glass collection at 65.8 pounds per resident. New York collected the greatest total tonnage of glass containers for recycling at 281,065 tons annually. Five Northeast states operate deposit return systems that include glass beverage containers. All Northeast states provide residents access to curbside and/or drop-off recycling programs. Reporting methodologies vary significantly among states, affecting direct comparisons of recycling performance. Recycled glass supports multiple end markets, including new containers, fiberglass, concrete applications, and aggregate products. “Glass is one of the few packaging materials that can be recycled repeatedly with minimal loss of quality,” said Megan Schulz-Fontes, Executive Director of NERC. “The data show that strong collection systems and supportive policies can significantly increase glass recovery and create valuable feedstock for manufacturers.” Among the report’s key findings, Vermont and Connecticut achieved the highest rates of glass container recovery relative to total glass container waste generated, recycling an estimated 79.9% and 77.0%, respectively. Both states operate deposit return systems that include glass beverage containers and ranked among the region’s leaders in per capita glass collection. “Glass bottles and jars have been banned from the trash in Vermont since 2015 and we have had a Bottle Bill since the 1970s,” said Matt Chapman, Director, Vermont DEC Waste Management and Prevention Division. “We’re glad to see that our glass container recovery rate reflects Vermonters’ commitment to recycling.” The report found that New York collected the largest total tonnage of glass containers for recycling at more than 281,000 tons annually, followed by New Jersey at approximately 197,000 tons. The findings demonstrate that opportunities exist across the region to increase glass recovery through improved collection systems, stronger processing infrastructure, and continued end-market development. The analysis also revealed substantial variation in state reporting methodologies, recycling requirements, and collection systems. While all Northeast states provide residents with access to curbside and/or drop-off recycling programs, collection models differ considerably. Five states operate deposit return systems, several offer source-separated glass drop-off programs, and Pennsylvania is the only state identified as providing source-separated curbside glass collection in select communities. These differences present challenges when comparing data across states and highlight the need for continued efforts to improve reporting consistency and transparency. The report notes that recycled glass serves a growing number of end markets, including new glass containers, fiberglass insulation, pozzolan for concrete, foam glass aggregate, and other construction applications. Many of these markets require high-quality glass cullet with low contamination levels, making effective collection and processing systems essential. Although glass is heavier than many alternative packaging materials and can be more transportation-intensive when moved long distances, increasing local and regional collection, cleaning, and processing capacity can improve environmental outcomes. Recycled glass can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with manufacturing by replacing virgin raw materials and supporting a more circular economy. The findings suggest that strategic investments in collection systems, processing infrastructure, and end-market development could increase glass recovery rates throughout the Northeast while supporting resource conservation, economic development, and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The Northeast Flow of Glass Report was developed by NERC’s Glass Committee with support from state agencies, industry partners, and stakeholders across the region. The report examines consumer glass containers, including food and beverage bottles and jars, as well as non-food glass containers. Read on Waste Advantage.
New report identifies leading state programs and opportunities to strengthen glass collection, recycling, and end-market development across the Northeast.
