Can I recycle this? A guide to better recycling and how to reduce single-use plastics
Book - 2021
"The book that answers the age-old question: Can I Recycle This? Since the dawn of the recycling system, men and women the world over have stood by their bins, holding an everyday object, wondering, "can I recycle this?" This simple question reaches into our concern for the environment, the care we take to keep our homes and our communities clean, and how we interact with our local government. Recycling rules seem to differ in every municipality, with exceptions and caveats at every turn, leaving the average american scatching her head at the simple act of throwing something away. Taking readers on a quick but informative tour of how recycling actually works (setting aside the propaganda we were all taught as kids), Can I Rec...ycle This gives straightforward answers to whether dozens of common household objects can or cannot be recycled, as well as the information you need to make that decision for anything else you encounter. Jennie Romer has been working for years to help cities and states across America better deal with the waste we produce, helping draft meaniful legislation to help communities better process their waste and produce less of it in the first place. She has distilled her years of experience into this non-judgmental, easy-to-use guide that will change the way you think about what you throw away and how you do it"--
- Subjects
- Published
-
New York, NY :
Penguin Books
[2021]
- Language
- English
- Main Author
- Item Description
- Includes index.
- Physical Description
- x, 152 pages : color illustrations ; 24 cm
- Bibliography
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 245-247) and index.
- ISBN
- 9780143135678
- Introduction: How to Use This 8ook
- The Structure of This Book
- The Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Mantra
- Introduction to the Recycling System
- The U.S. Curbside Recycling System
- Plastic "Recycling" Bags
- What Does "Recyclable" Mean?
- Resin Identification Codes
- History of Resin Identification Codes
- Material Types Made with Plastic Resins
- PET vs. Polystyrene Food Containers
- Expanded Polysterene Food Containers
- The Flow of Materials
- Resource Extraction
- Fenceline Communities
- Total Waste Generation
- Global Plastic Production
- What We Recycle
- How We Recycle
- Bottle and Can Deposits
- Recycling Drop-Off Centers
- State-of-the-Art Recycling Facilities
- Glass-Recycling Facilities
- The Commodities Market
- Commodities Pricing: It's All about End Markets!
- Processing Bales of Recycled Material
- Wishcycling Is Not Helpful
- Post-Consumer Recycled Content
- Mandating Post-Consumer Recycled Content
- Mail-In and Drop-Off Recycling Programs for Non-Recyclable Packaging
- Other Waste Processing and Disposal
- Curbside Composting
- Anaerobic Digestion
- "Compostable" Plastic
- Incineration
- Chemical Recycling
- Modern Sanitary Landfills
- Zero Waste and Alternative Daily Cover (ADC)
- Individual Items: Can I Recycle This?
- Colors Used in This Section
- Bags and Boxes
- Plastic Carryout Bags
- Plastic Carryout Bags (in Grocery Store Drop-Off Bins)
- Paper Carryout Bags
- Cardboard Boxes
- Plastic and Multilayer Delivery Envelopes
- Paper Delivery Envelopes
- Beverage Containers and Drinkware
- Plastic Straws
- Colorful Plastic Party Cups
- Foam Coffee Cups
- Paper Coffee Cups
- Coffee Cup Lids
- Plastic Water Bottles and Caps
- The Bottle Cap Debate
- The Float-Sink Test
- Aluminum Soda Cans
- Glass Beer Bottles
- Metal Beer Bottle Caps
- Milk Jugs
- Milk Cartons
- Coconut Water Cartons
- Juice Pouches
- Plastic Coffee Pods
- Wine Corks
- Single-Use Foodware and Packaged Food Containers
- Glass Jelly Jars with Metal Lids
- Plastic Forks
- Plastic Takeout Food Containers
- Coated-Paper Takeout Food Containers
- Pizza Boxes
- Ketchup and Condiment Packets
- Condiment Cups
- Soup Cans
- Cereal Boxes
- Cocktail Peanut Cans
- Chip Bags
- Candy Wrappers
- Aerosol Whipped-Cream Cans
- Baby Food Pouches
- Yogurt Cups
- Mesh Clementine Bags
- Paper Egg Cartons
- Home Goods and Personal Items
- Office Paper: Special NYC Edition
- Paper Towels and Tissues
- Aluminum Foil
- Clothing Hangers
- Clothing and Fabric
- Shoes
- Eyeglasses
- Disposable Contact Lens Blister Packs
- Shampoo Bottles
- Rx Bottles
- Lighters
- Face Masks
- Toothbrushes
- Toothpaste Tubes
- Tools
- Light Bulbs
- Batteries
- Lithium-Ion Batteries (Again!)
- Flashlights
- Garden Hoses
- Extension Cords and Christmas Lights
- Cell Phones and Laptops
- The Take-Homes about Recycling
- The Human Impacts of Shipping Recyclables Internationally
- Recycling Exports: Why China?
- China's National Sword Policy
- The Human Impacts of Shipping Recyclables Internationally
- Ban International Export of Plastic Waste
- Plastics in the Ocean (and Everywhere!)
- Plastic Smog
- Floating Animals and Plants in the Open Ocean
- Turtles and Albatross
- Beach Cleanups
- Harbor Cleanups
- Marketing of Ocean Plastic
- Plastics on Our Plates
- Voyage to an Ocean Gyre
- Personal Solutions
- Personal Solutions
- Bring Your Own Everything
- Next Level: BYO Food Containers
- Buy Food (and Anything You Can) in Bulk
- Buy Vintage
- Personal Waste Audit
- Beware of Greenwashing
- Make Your Voice Heard to Corporations
- Policy Solutions
- Introduction to Plastics Policy
- How to Get Involved with Plastics Laws
- Find Organizations Working on Plastics Policy
- How a Bill Becomes a Law
- Examples of Plastics Laws
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Laws for Packaging
- The Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act (BFFPPA)
- The Future of Plastics Policy
- Reuse or Recycle This Book!
- Acknowledgments
- Sources
- Index