Seattlest: Recycling Rates Rise

TroyJMorris

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:42:14 -0800

That's 8 kinds of awesome.

Charles Redell

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:34:33 -0800

yes. it all goes to Cedar Grove where they pile it under these massive tarps for not very long (we're talking weeks here) and turn it into compost that they bag and sell. As the program grows, a lot of the compost will be given back to the city for use in parks and such.

TroyJMorris

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:31:55 -0800

Oh cool! Do those yard-waste services go to a compost? I just like the idea of compost because... well... it turns into dirt and buying dirt for plants just seems so wrong.

Charles Redell

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:23:31 -0800

Troy, Apartments don't need on-site composting. All they need is yard-waste service because food scraps (other than meat and cheese) including pizza boxes and other paper goods with food on it goes in there. Small buildings can get basic service for like, $5 a month. Larger buildings may need to get more pickups or a bigger bin so each building manager needs to get in touch with SPU to figure out their building's needs. It's still gonna be cheap though.

TroyJMorris

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:16:54 -0800

I really think the issue in apartments is two fold: 1) Food waste. Many don't have compost gardens. So either get one or give your food waste to the bums- which leads me to fold number 2- 2) Bums. I think the bums just start moving trash around just to mess with the man.

Yarek

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:06:06 -0800

Same here! We downsized our trash can from 32 to 20-gal, and with a little more effort could probably squeeze it down to the micro (12 gallon). I think the bulk of our remaining trash is actually packaging of one sort or another. Plastic clamshells, in particular, are a terrible waste. As glad as I am to see various places banning plastic bags, I really hope packaging, and clamshells in particular, are next!

Katelyn

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:44:55 -0800

Since we started using a food/yard waste container at our house, our trash volume has gone down significantly. It's kind of inspiring, actually, and serves as a reminder to be careful how much "packaging" we're willing to tolerate in our house in the first place. Plastic bags, pizza boxes, etc... The only complaint I have is that meat (old chicken) and dairy (old cheese) can't go in the food bin yet. Good news about 2009!