What Happens To My Trash?
This story is part of the Curious Cbus project. You ask the questions, you vote on one of the questions, and we answer. To ask your question, visit wosu.org/curious. The first question came from Jon Hsu:
Listen Listening…3:58
A city garbage truck prowls through a Clintonville alley. The driver stops amid blue and green trash containers and picks up the green ones using the truck’s mechanical arm. He empties those 90-gallon containers into his truck.
A few blocks away, a two-man crew lifts an outdated, giant-screen TV from the curb and throws it into the back of their truck where it’s crushed.
The Landfill
The trash in the two trucks is headed to the SWACO landfill near Grove City. About 500 trucks carry trash collected from all over Franklin County through the landfill’s gates 5 days a week. They head to the top of an ever-rising mountain of refuse and each day leave 4,200 tons of trash behind.
Shilo Pletcher is the landfill’s supervisor.
Hauling waste up to the SWACO landfill’s “working face”
CREDIT THOMAS BRADLEY / 89.7 NPR NEWS
“Roughly 500 trucks a day … 4,000 tons a day. We’re sitting on 180 acres,” Pletcher says.
That’s a million tons of trash buried at the landfill every year. Less than half of the trash that’s buried here comes from residential customers; the majority comes from commercial users.
SWACO says the landfill has more than two decades of capacity left. But it would last longer, they say, if more people recycled.
CREDIT THOMAS BRADLEY / 89.7 NPR NEWS
“Anywhere from 60- to 70 percent of the trash that comes into the landfill could be repurposed, reused, recycled.”
SWACO Executive Director Ty Marsh.
“Not only would that be better for extending the life of the landfill and for environmental purposes but there’s also economic value in doing that,” Marsh says.
The Recycling Center
That’s where those blue containers come in. They hold recyclable trash that’s picked up by the Rumpke Co., every other week. Crews take the refuse to the company’s sorting facility near the state fairgrounds. Rumpke spokeswoman Taylor Greely guides me through the building.
CREDIT SAM HENDREN / 89.7 NPR NEWS
“The area we’re in right now is the sorting and separating phase of this process,” Greely says.
In the early days of recycling, residents had to separate items themselves before disposal. Now it’s done by Rumpke at their Fields Ave. facility.
“We’re using stuff like infrared light; 2500 feet of interconnected conveyor belt; large industrial magnets and then once we have all those items back into their individual categories then we’ll bale them into bales and we’ll ship them off to regional manufacturers where they’ll be turned back into new products,” Greely says.
As much as 80,000 pounds of material is sorted per hour. All sorts of cans, plastic bottles, glass containers, cardboard cartons and paper fly by on high speed conveyors and eventually end up at the baler. What can’t be recycled – plastic bags and videotape, for instance – is pulled out and sent to the landfill.
The troubling truth, however: Columbus residents recycle on a very small portion of their trash. Just 42,000 tons were recycled in 2015; a million tons were buried.
“So with your automatic sorting here there’s no excuse for people not to recycle, is there?”
“I agree. It’s very simple to recycle. We have curbside recycling and the materials are being sorted and separated and put back to use right close to home,” Greely says.
And that’s what happens to your trash.
The post What Happens To My Trash? appeared first on AW Sites.
2016 Memorial Day Sale – We HONOR You!
This Memorial Day Weekend we want to HONOR all of those that have made our freedom possible. If not for them, our opportunities to go after our dreams would be limited. We want to THANK all who have served and are serving our Country. (Don’t forget to read below for your Memorial Day Discount)
Some fun facts for your Memorial Day Weekend…
You might find yourself blurting out some of this “trashy” trivia on your Memorial Day Cookout this weekend.
Did you know…
That the average American throws away almost 5 pounds of trash a DAY.
Every day in the U.S., we throw away enough garbage to fill around
63,000 garbage trucks… a DAY! At least 1/3 of that is from the snazzy packaging we discard.
Can you guess…
What is New York’s number one export? Waste paper. Who knew!
Can you guess…
What is made from recycled glass?
Hint… try bottles, fiber glass insulation, and materials used in
building roads and construction.
Did you know…
It takes on average 6 weeks for an aluminum can to be remelted and put back on those store shelves? And it saves 90-95% less energy to produce an aluminum can if it’s being recycled than it would to create new ones.
That is fairly impressive.
“One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure. Unless you’re a raccoon. Then it’s basically all one category.” – Author Unknown
Planning on a renovation project for your home or a simple clean up?
Our Dumpster rental services are here to help you with advice on which size dumpster you will need for your project. Call us today at (888) 413-5105 and we’ll be happy to give you a free quote.
When calling (888) 413-5105 don’t forget to mention the customer discount promo code: “AllAmerican” to receive 10% OFF your next Dumpster or Portable Toilet Rental.
The post 2016 Memorial Day Sale – We HONOR You! appeared first on AW Sites.
No Job Too Big or Too Small
Residential Demolition
Arwood Waste residential demolition has successfully demolished thousands of residential houses. Arwood Waste will handle everything, from the demolition permits, utility disconnections and the entire cleanup and grading of the lot.
Arwood Waste has the correct equipment to demolish any residential structure safely.Arwood Waste will take care of the residential demolition project in a professional and efficient manner.
- Total Residential Demolition
- Selective Residential Demolition
- Limited “Put Back” Residential Demolition
Call us for a free on-site consultation where we’ll discuss your specific options for residential demolition, and follow-up with a free written estimate for your project that will suit your needs and save you money.
What We Do
We promise to deliver to our customers a cleared site set for the next phase of its development or construction.
Languages Spoken
- English
- Español
Areas of Practice
- Demolition Contractors
- Residential Demolition
- Commercial Demolition
- Industrial Demolition
- Full-Service Demolition
At our total demolition work sites, we separate materials to the maximum extent feasible using our advanced demolition equipment. Virtually all metals are scrapped and we pass these savings on to you through reduced rates. And, by weight, we are among the largest recyclers in Austin since almost all of our concrete rubble from local jobs is taken to the only permanent concrete crushing plant in Central Texas. Once there, the rebar is separated from the concrete which is then processed into road base and select fill.
Commercial Demolition
Arwood Waste commercial demolition division is committed to providing a solid foundation and starting point by utilizing our expertise. We offer both commercial demolition and implosion projects. We own and operate our own equipment with our own experienced team, which in turn allows us to complete the commercial demolition project on time, on budget and save you money with great quality work that you can and will be proud of.
- Total Commercial Demolition
- Selective Commercial Demolition
- Limited “Put Back” Commercial Demolition
- Building Demolition
AW responsibly disposes of the demolition debris by allowing you the option of reusing these materials and recycling the materials from your jobs you don’t want or can’t use. You can expect high-grade work on a turn-key project by allowing AW to service your commercial demolition needs.
Call us for a free on-site consultation where we’ll discuss your specific options for commercial demolition, and follow-up with a free written estimate for your project that will suit your needs and save you money.
What Happens To My Trash?
This story is part of the Curious Cbus project. You ask the questions, you vote on one of the questions, and we answer. To ask your question, visit wosu.org/curious. The first question came from Jon Hsu:
Listen Listening…3:58
A city garbage truck prowls through a Clintonville alley. The driver stops amid blue and green trash containers and picks up the green ones using the truck’s mechanical arm. He empties those 90-gallon containers into his truck.
A few blocks away, a two-man crew lifts an outdated, giant-screen TV from the curb and throws it into the back of their truck where it’s crushed.
The Landfill
The trash in the two trucks is headed to the SWACO landfill near Grove City. About 500 trucks carry trash collected from all over Franklin County through the landfill’s gates 5 days a week. They head to the top of an ever-rising mountain of refuse and each day leave 4,200 tons of trash behind.
Shilo Pletcher is the landfill’s supervisor.
Hauling waste up to the SWACO landfill’s “working face”
CREDIT THOMAS BRADLEY / 89.7 NPR NEWS
“Roughly 500 trucks a day … 4,000 tons a day. We’re sitting on 180 acres,” Pletcher says.
That’s a million tons of trash buried at the landfill every year. Less than half of the trash that’s buried here comes from residential customers; the majority comes from commercial users.
SWACO says the landfill has more than two decades of capacity left. But it would last longer, they say, if more people recycled.
CREDIT THOMAS BRADLEY / 89.7 NPR NEWS
“Anywhere from 60- to 70 percent of the trash that comes into the landfill could be repurposed, reused, recycled.”
SWACO Executive Director Ty Marsh.
“Not only would that be better for extending the life of the landfill and for environmental purposes but there’s also economic value in doing that,” Marsh says.
The Recycling Center
That’s where those blue containers come in. They hold recyclable trash that’s picked up by the Rumpke Co., every other week. Crews take the refuse to the company’s sorting facility near the state fairgrounds. Rumpke spokeswoman Taylor Greely guides me through the building.
CREDIT SAM HENDREN / 89.7 NPR NEWS
“The area we’re in right now is the sorting and separating phase of this process,” Greely says.
In the early days of recycling, residents had to separate items themselves before disposal. Now it’s done by Rumpke at their Fields Ave. facility.
“We’re using stuff like infrared light; 2500 feet of interconnected conveyor belt; large industrial magnets and then once we have all those items back into their individual categories then we’ll bale them into bales and we’ll ship them off to regional manufacturers where they’ll be turned back into new products,” Greely says.
As much as 80,000 pounds of material is sorted per hour. All sorts of cans, plastic bottles, glass containers, cardboard cartons and paper fly by on high speed conveyors and eventually end up at the baler. What can’t be recycled – plastic bags and videotape, for instance – is pulled out and sent to the landfill.
The troubling truth, however: Columbus residents recycle on a very small portion of their trash. Just 42,000 tons were recycled in 2015; a million tons were buried.
“So with your automatic sorting here there’s no excuse for people not to recycle, is there?”
“I agree. It’s very simple to recycle. We have curbside recycling and the materials are being sorted and separated and put back to use right close to home,” Greely says.
And that’s what happens to your trash.
The post What Happens To My Trash? appeared first on AW Sites.
5 Need-to-know tips for maximizing your office recycling program
Offices were traditionally a major source of paper waste, a pain that has been alleviated to some extent by technology. But waste ranging from unneeded print-outs to food and beverage containers still piles up in workplaces. The worst part: many offices do not have clear recycling policies. To help your workplace put those empty energy drink cans and coffee cups to better use, consider implementing an office recycling program (or improving your existing one). It’s easy, and it gets the whole company thinking about ways to reduce your environmental impact. Here are five helpful tips to turn recycling into second nature for your employees.
Tip #1: Have appropriate office recycling containers.
Without well-marked and conveniently-located recycling containers, employees may end up throwing recyclables in with the garbage. You can hardly blame them – during the course of a busy day, thinking about where to throw their trash is low on most employees’ priority lists. Fortunately, a variety of affordable recycling containers are available to encourage employees to put their refuse in the right place. Arwood Waste offers containers in sizes ranging from large-capacity bins for an entire office to under-desk sliders that allow you to equip each employee with a personalized recycling bin! With well-marked recycling containers placed at convenient intervals, it’s easy to remember to toss that cardboard coffee sleeve in the bright blue bin instead of the garbage container.
Tip #2: Use posters to explain recycling rules.
Recycling rules vary by location, and employees may not know what’s recyclable and what should be thrown away. Posting lists of recyclable materials in kitchen areas or printing kiosks will let employees know what’s okay to recycle (for example, aluminum cans, cardboard containers, and used printer paper) and what should be thrown in the trash (food waste, plastic wrap, etc.). Encourage employees to read the signs before chucking their lunch garbage or unwanted paper items. Before long, everyone will know the recycling rules by heart.
Tip #3: Regularly reinforce the office recycling program.
Regular communication is important in order for your recycling program to work. Notice some people breaking the rules? A gentle companywide reminder can reinforce the recycling policy and get everyone back on track. On the other hand, if you notice workers making a conscious effort to follow the program, praise everybody for their successful recycling efforts. Providing your staff with an estimate of how much trash they have saved from landfills is a big motivator.
Tip #4: Inform janitorial staff of the recycling program.
Your team may be dutifully following your recycling program, but if the custodial staff is not on board, everything may end up in the garbage after all. Be sure to inform your cleaning crew about the recycling program, and encourage them to follow it as well. If a recycling or disposal company will be in charge of collecting your bins, make sure the cleaning crew is aware of where to put the recyclables. Your program will only be 100% effective if all members of your company are on the same page.
Tip #5: Encourage employees to reuse.
Recycling is an excellent practice, but it doesn’t solve all problems. Ask employees to carry reusable water bottles that can be filled from a central water cooler, and suggest that they bring washable dishes and utensils instead of throw-away items. Also encourage workers to use both sides of a piece of paper before recycling it. If an item can be used several times before recycling it (for example, re-filling a disposable drink bottle), that can make a big difference over the course of a year. Get employees thinking about ways they can reduce waste overall while using best recycling practices to responsibly dispose of unavoidable waste. You’ll feel better about your company’s environmental impact – and your employees will feel good knowing they have done their part for a cleaner world.
Stay Green When Planning Your Move With These Recycling Tips
Whether you’re headed to a new home or a new office, moving can have a big impact on the environment. After all, vast quantities of packing materials and boxes are used to transport your belongings from point A to point B, and much of those materials end up in landfills. Similarly, as you go through your belongings and decide what not to keep, you may end up discarding more than you thought. The good news is that there are ways to recycle your materials, minimize the impact of your move, and make sure your exciting transition is positive for both you and the environment! Here are some tips to consider.
1.Rethink cardboard boxes. Buying cardboard boxes is expensive and damaging to the environment. You may be able to rent plastic bins for moving, or else find cardboard boxes for free at local supermarkets or “big box” stores. Reusing old cardboard boxes is certainly better than buying new. Either way, be sure to recycle or repurpose the boxes after your move is complete.
2.You may already have packing materials! Sure, you could buy packing peanuts, bubble wrap, and other expensive materials that you’ll end up throwing away. But old towels, shirts, blankets, and newspaper will also do the trick of protecting your belongings during a move.
3.Donate unwanted items. When packing for a move, it’s common to find items that are simply not worth the trouble of transporting. But one person’s trash is another’s treasure, so consider donating unwanted belongings to a local Goodwill or Salvation Army. That’s better than seeing your old stuff end up in a landfill!
4.Consider a paper-shredding service. Some old documents and files just aren’t worth taking with you, especially if you have digital backups. This is particularly true for businesses. If you have file cabinets full of paper, consider a shredding service to securely shred and recycle your old documents.
5.Find a green mover. Not all movers are as conscientious about the environment as you are, so shop around to find a moving company with earth-friendly practices. Green movers may use fuel-efficient trucks, reusable furniture wraps, and plastic crates for transporting goods. You’ll feel good about your move, and you could even save money!
6.Choose the right waste management company. Businesses and even home owners on the move may be able to choose their waste management company. If so, you have the chance to find a company that cares about the environment as much as you do! When evaluating a waste management company, consider factors like cost, pick-up days, options such as recycling and yard waste pickup, and most importantly, a great reputation.
Whether you’re moving your home or office, you have the opportunity to plan a green move to be proud of. You can be sure Arwood Waste will do our part as your waste management company to ensure your unwanted materials are recycled with care and integrity.
The post Stay Green When Planning Your Move With These Recycling Tips appeared first on AW Sites.
Sanitation Workers: The First Line of Community Protection & Crime Prevention – Article Feature from johnarwood.com
Sanitation Workers Watching Out For Safety
In a recent article posted on www.johnarwood.com, John Arwood’s personal website, he highlighted several ways sanitation workers could partner with local first responders and law enforcement to help protect their communities.
As the safest communities have learned, partnerships between law enforcement officers and the public in crime prevention are the most effective ways of stopping criminals. Who better to help prevent crime than our very own sanitation workers? They are the workforce who are already in our neighborhoods and communities every day keeping us safe and clean. Garbage men provide extra eyes for police officers and know when something’s out of the ordinary. – John Arwood
Read the Full Article
Head over to www.johnarwood.com to read the full article and learn more about the next steps you can take in your company or personally to partner with first responders in your local area.
Photo Credit: Arvell Dorsey, Jr
The post Sanitation Workers: The First Line of Community Protection & Crime Prevention – Article Feature from johnarwood.com appeared first on Garbage Man Day.
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Arwood Waste Celebrates our Dedicated Armed Forces
“Today let us, as Americans, honor the American fighting man. For it is he–the soldier, the sailor, the Airman, the Marine–who has fought to preserve freedom. It is his valor that has given renewed hope to the free world that by working together in discipline and faith our ideals of freedom will always prevail.”
– Admiral Forrest P. Sherman, USN
Honor, Service, Valor and Sacrifice – True American Heros
This year on Armed Forces Day, Arwood Waste honors and celebrates all of the men and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting our country. We take this day to pay tribute to those who serve or have served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard.
Arwood Waste and our partners thank you and your families for your service, today and every day.
Call us at (888) 413-5105 if we can ever serve you for Roll Off Dumpster Rentals, Portable Toilet Rentals, Commercial Dumpster Rentals, or Storage Rentals.
Photo: Arlington County
The post Arwood Waste Celebrates our Dedicated Armed Forces appeared first on AW Sites.
Jacksonville Humane Society Demolition On Beach Boulevard
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Humane Society will begin demolition on its Beach Boulevard property on Thursday, which prepares groundbreaking for the new shelter building scheduled to open in the spring of 2017.
At approximately 43,000 square feet, the new building will feature indoor, climate-controlled housing for all animals and connect to the current JHS Community Animal Hospital, which was built in 2012.
“Each day we take another exciting step towards our much-needed new building,” said Denise Deisler, JHS executive director. “The most important part of this project is ensuring that the public knows JHS will be open throughout construction. We are committed to finding families for the same number of homeless pets as we have in previous years.”
Demolition is the next phase of construction for the new JHS Adoption and Education Center after a fire destroyed the shelter buildings and claimed the lives of 86 animals in 2007.
The buildings to be demolished include a small house, which most recently served as the administration building, the former warehouse and one section of outdoor dog kennels. Demolition is scheduled for approximately 9 a.m. Thursday.
Hazardous Waste Collection Day
Private wells and septic systems. Any waste improperly disposed of down the drain could end up in our drinking water. So it’s important to dispose of hazardous waste the right way.
The list of items to bring includes oil-based paints, stains and varnishes, paint thinners and strippers, wood preservatives, polishes for furniture, floors, and metal, rug and oven cleaners, swimming pool chemicals, moth balls, lighter fluids, septic tank degreasers, rechargeable (Ni-Cd) batteries, thermostats, and thermometers. A more detailed list of accepted items can be found atwww.hrra.org under the household hazardous waste tab.
The list of what not to bring includes electronics, computers, VCRs (recycle at the town drop-off center), empty aerosol cans (put in garbage), household batteries (put in garbage), PCB capacitors, smoke detectors, auto batteries, tires, motor oil, antifreeze (recycle at town transfer station), ammunition, fireworks, explosives, radioactive materials, unknown gases, controlled substances, pharmaceuticals, or medical waste.
Year-round, the Redding transfer station will accept fluorescent lights and paints (latex or oil-based) that are still liquid in their original containers. Other items that are accepted are listed on the town website, townofreddingct.org, under Public Works.
This Saturday’s collection is for residential waste only. Proof of residency — driver’s license, motor vehicle registration or tax bill — is required. Redding is participating in the collection day with Bethel, Ridgefield, Danbury, New Fairfield, and Newtown. Redding CERT volunteers are used to help run the operation.
Keep in mind that if you can’t make this Saturday’s collection, Redding participates in both a spring and a fall Household Hazardous Waste Day. This fall, waste day will be on Sept. 24 in Danbury. Your tax dollars provide this service.
The post Hazardous Waste Collection Day appeared first on AW Sites.
