Talking Trash

Twelve-year-old Leo and his little sister Layla from Carmel, Indiana, love to show other kids how to make compost. Compost is made from rotting plant-based materials that have been broken down naturally by bacteria and other microorganisms. Composting can take all the...

The COVID pandemic continues to take a toll on people worldwide, especially with the rise of the Delta variant. As a consequence, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) like masks is again commonly recommended. And that means more masks are ending up as...

A sad side effect of the COVID pandemic has been a large increase in littering. Face masks, disposable gloves, and takeout food wrappers have littered our roadways, empty lots, natural areas, and waterways for the past year. And while the pandemic has made some people...

As we work together to reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as possible, it’s important to reduce the amount of food we waste. According to ReFED, food waste makes up roughly 22% of all landfill volume, making it the single largest category of municipal solid waste...

We are excited to share that our publication for youth, Trash Talk!, is getting a new look! Produced for solid waste management districts and service providers, this quarterly newsletter is targeted to upper elementary school students. Each issue is packed with...

Did you know the national recycling rate is just 32%? We can do better! As a part of its work to inspire action and recycling participation across the country, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new National Recycling Goal — to reach...

School may be out for summer and we may be headed out for vacations, but that doesn’t mean a break from reducing, reusing, and recycling. Whether you are traveling or just hanging out at home with friends and family, make it a Three Rs summer. You probably already...

After learning that residents are more likely to particpate in separating food waste if they believe their neighbors are too, Costa Mesa Sanitary District (CMSD) asked the community to share tips to help neighbors recycle food waste. This input was solicited...

This article appeared in the Spring 2021 edition of One Person’s Trash, a publication produced by Eco Partners, Inc. for Bergen County Utilities Authority. We share it here with our gratitude to the Bergen County Utilities Authority. Lithium batteries...