Taking Recycling Seriously

from Spotlight on Montebello, 2008

            Did you know that the City of Montebello offers FREE technical assistance to businesses and multi-family establishments? Did you also know that these programs can save your money, time and resources? And did you know that these programs are offered by the City to help the environment by reducing greenhouse gas, methane emissions, and prolong the life of our resources?

            That’s right. The City of Montebello has taken recycling to the next step. They have not only met their mandated diversion goals, they have exceeded them. They are interested in helping you achieve the same type of successes by offering FREE solid waste and recycling programs to all Montebello businesses and multi-family establishments.

            Solid waste and recycling is not the same as it has been in years past. Technology and changing markets have resulted in new materials being recycled. We all know that glass, paper, plastic, aluminum, and cardboard can be recycled, but did you that polystyrene and plastic grocery bags can also be recycled?

            That’s right. Items we once threw on our trash can now be recycled and reused in hundreds of different products. Believe it or not, some of these materials can even make it back into food-grade quality materials and products such as cups, plates, forks, coffee lids, etc.

            The City of Montebello has taken steps to expand the materials available for recycling. Working together with our solid waste provider’s and recyclers, we are creating new and innovative programs to help businesses and residents do more by recycling once discarded materials.

            Through our collaborative efforts, we are increasing the city’s recycling rate and reducing dependency on new materials and products. One such program is the implementation of polystyrene recycling-the egg cartons, coffee cups, and disposable food containers we all use.

            Many of Montebello’s children also may encounter polystyrene during their daily lunch service. Once discarded as unusable byproducts, this material has taken valuable space in our country landfills. Slow to decompose, these products can now be safely and environmentally processed as recyclable commodities and returned to the economic mainstream.

            Annual consumption of polystyrene used in packaging and food service applications eclipses 500 million pounds. The proper recycling of this material through the city’s pilot program reduces two key elements from our waste stream-solid organic waste and low density foam products.

            Properly recycled, we can reduce up to 40 percent of the materials generated that are currently discarded in our county landfills.

            In the weeks and months to come, the City of Montebello will be publishing additional information on our extensive line of solid waste and recycling programs as well as recycling educational materials.

Typed by Tamar Baghdassarian for Montebello E-News from the original.