By Page H. Gifford
Correspondent
Fluvanna County residents may sometimes wonder where those recyclables end up. Some don’t even bother to recycle because they believe it all goes to the landfill. Here’s a primer to what is a very complex recycling system.
Most of what humans consume can be recycled, and go on various sorting paths, depending on the item. Some trash is recycled or composted, while other discarded items are sent to waste-to-energy facilities. The remainder of ordinary waste not recycled, salvaged, or donated goes to landfills.
Once at the landfill, it is leveled and compacted with machinery to make it as small as possible and limit contamination. After the waste is compacted, it is layered with liners and drainage systems to control leachate and prevent groundwater contamination. Landfills are then covered with soil, preventing odor, pests, and the escape of landfill gas, allowing the anaerobic process to begin.
Landfills produce landfill gas, a mixture of methane and other gases. This gas is often collected and used to generate electricity. Some landfills have waste-to-energy facilities that burn trash to produce steam and generate electricity. Incineration reduces the volume of waste by up to 87 percent.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) authorizes states to implement parts of the RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) program, including hazardous waste regulations, allowing states to implement more stringent, rules.
All 50 states have waste management laws and policies, with many also having stricter regulations than the federal standards. For those convinced there is no watchdog, Virginia’s waste management is governed by the Virginia Waste Management Act and associated regulations, primarily managed by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The Virginia Waste Management Board (VWMB) is key in developing and enforcing regulations and compliance with federal and state requirements.
Many states have regulations that encourage or mandate waste reduction, reuse, and recycling. Ten states, including Maine, which has the best buy-back program in the nation, New York, and Connecticut, were the originals to promote the “bottle-bill” back in the 1970s. The bottle bills, known as container deposit return laws, were programs designed to encourage recycling by adding a small deposit to the price of certain beverages, which is refunded to the consumer when the empty container is returned. It works and is still going strong today. All ten states using the deposit return laws have expanded recycling to include aluminum, bi-metal, glass, and plastic (PET and HDPE only). New York has reduced waste by 70 percent and Connecticut increased the return from 5 to 10 cents and has added a 30 percent reduction in waste on top of what they had been doing for 50 years.
States, including Vermont, California, and New York have implemented, food waste bans while others, including Virginia, have programs focused on universal waste like batteries and lamps. States progressively recognize composting as a sustainable alternative to dumping in landfills, leading to regulations that support composting.
Local trash collectors, like GFL, a Canadian-based company, all have intricate systems to dispose of a variety of waste. It has become a large, complex business for many, utilizing scientific methods and technology to lessen the carbon footprint left behind.
There are no longer humans working alone, sorting from conveyor belts but humans programming robots to do those jobs. Locally owned Van der Linde Recycling has been in the business since 2008. Their specialty is construction, demolition, and residential debris. Once at the facility, they sort it into three categories. First, materials, including metal, cardboard, and plastic, are sent to a local third-party recycler. Along with paper, these items are often recycled by households and commercial businesses. This is the point where residents wonder where their recyclables end up.
After collection, recyclable materials are typically transported to a materials recovery facility (MRF) or a similar sorting plant. GFL which recycles in Fluvanna, has many MRF facilities which sort and process the materials, separating different types like paper, plastic, glass, and metal. The sorted materials are then sold to domestic or overseas processors who use them to create new products. Some materials, like plastic, may be further processed by a plastics reclaimer to prepare them for re-manufacturing. The final destination of recyclables can vary depending on factors like market demand, the specific type of material, and the efficiency of the recycling system. Then, whatever is not recyclable, will end up in the landfill.
Van der Linde takes the remaining recyclable material, such as wood, cinder block, shingles, and concrete, using it to produce mulch, gravel, topsoil, road base and fill dirt.
There is a positive aspect to recycling and those, like GFL, are strategically keeping things as clean and green as possible. Food scraps and yard waste are often composted to create valuable soil amendments. Tires are downcycled into materials for playgrounds and industrial applications.
The last resort is the landfill and when it is full it is capped with soil to prevent further decomposition and protect the environment. It can then be repurposed for other uses, such as parks, green spaces, or even golf courses.
So, for those who would question whether it is worth it to recycle that can, glass bottles, paper, cardboard, or even plastic – those few things can make the difference. Check out the packaging from Amazon to see if it’s recycled materials or the paper you are writing and ask if it was worth your time.
