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<br>Dear Neighbors,<br> <br>Here's a bit of what I've learned in reading about plastic recycling...<br> <br>-- The resin number on the plastic container does not tell the whole story for its recyclability. There are stabilizers and <font style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" color="#000080" face="Arial" size="2">plasticizers</font><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> that form different polymers. #1s and #2s are often sorted again for hardness (#2 milk bottles are separated from #2 water bottles, for example) before they can be melted down, as the unlike polymers don't stay well-mixed.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">-- Bottle caps are not recyclable.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">-- #3 through #7 is pretty bad stuff, overall. (PVC, polyvinyl chloride, is marked #3 and is particularly poisonous -- and one container can contaminate a whole batch of otherwise reusable plastic.) These are mostly shipped overseas and burned for fuel, releasing toxins into the air... or just landfilled. <br> <br>-- Plastic bottles are rarely in fact RE-cycled, but DOWN-cycled -- that is, they go into making other products that end up in landfills (plastic lumber, trash containers, etc). <br> <br>-- Most municipalities that collect all numbers throw away most of them. (Perhaps this is in the hope that more people will recycle if it's easier?) There's a bit of a market for #6s (in addition to the #1s and #2s).<br> <br>-- The chasing arrows do not mean that the item is recyclable. I've read that there is no government regulation around the labeling for recyclability. <br> <br>-- The environmental cost of *making* plastic containers is pretty darn huge in the first place.<br> <br> <br>Thanks for reading,<br>Dorrie<br><br><br><br><blockquote><hr>From: dwilliamsjhu02@hotmail.com<br>To: chat@charlesvillage.info<br>Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2008 20:29:37 +0000<br>Subject: Re: [Chat] Fwd:Re: Baltimore City Frequently Asked Questions: Plastic recycling<br><br>
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Yes, I was wrong, I just checked out BC's recycling website and it is 1 through 7. Amazing.<br>
<a href="http://www.ci.baltimore.md.us/government/dpw/recycle.php" target="_blank">http://www.ci.baltimore.md.us/government/dpw/recycle.php</a><br>
D'<br><br>> Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2008 11:02:30 -0800<br>> From: kshruska@mac.com<br>> To: chat@charlesvillage.info<br>> CC: chat@charlesvillage.info<br>> Subject: Re: [Chat] Fwd:Re: Baltimore City Frequently Asked Questions: Plastic recycling<br>> <br>> I believe there is a comma missing from Ms. Ukwuoma's reply. I believe she meant to type "plastics, bottles and jars with numbers 1-7 on the bottom..."<br>> <br>> Thanks!<br>> Kathleen<br>> <br>> On Tuesday, January 15, 2008, at 09:27AM, "Stephen J Gewirtz" <gewirtz@bellatlantic.net> wrote:<br>> >Last year's recycling was only Numbers 1 and 2, and they said that they <br>> >would take more plastic this year. Therefore, they clearly meant it <br>> >when they said 1-7.<br>> ><br>> >Steve.<br>> ><br>> >D. Williams wrote:<br>> >> I think that is a misspelling, it is Numbers 1 and 7 not 1-7 if I am <br>> >> not mistaken.<br>> >> D'<br>> >><br>> >> > Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2008 11:36:52 -0500<br>> >> > From: LEF@press.jhu.edu<br>> >> > To: chat@charlesvillage.info<br>> >> > Subject: [Chat] Fwd:Re: Baltimore City Frequently Asked Questions: <br>> >> Plastic recycling<br>> >> ><br>> >> > This doesn't make any sense. The info I read said any plastic labeled 1<br>> >> > through 7 is recyclable, so I am putting out everything--trays from<br>> >> > food, jars, lids, packing materials with a triangle and number, etc.,<br>> >> > NOT just bottles. I think Valentina Ukwuoma may be mistaken. Did I<br>> >> > mis-remember what it says on our Public Works calendar?<br>> >> ><br>> >> > Linda<br>> >> ><br>> >> > >>> gewirtz@bellatlantic.net 01/10/08 5:57 PM >>><br>> >> > As you will see, I inquired whether the buckets that cat litter comes<br>> >> > in<br>> >> > can be recycled. Apparently, the answer is NO. Personally, I can see<br>> >> ><br>> >> > no reason that only bottles and jars can be recycled, but obviously my<br>> >> ><br>> >> > cat litter buckets will be added to what goes into the landfills.<br>> >> ><br>> >> > Steve.<br>> >> ><br>> >> > Ukwuoma, Valentina I wrote:<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > Dear Mr. Gewirtz:<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > If it has a narrow/long neck or screw top yes, include it with your<br>> >> > > recycling materials, but if it is the wide open type please discard.<br>> >> ><br>> >> > > Also, as a point of information, please note that we accept plastics<br>> >> ><br>> >> > > bottles and jars with numbers 1-7 on the bottom. For more<br>> >> > information,<br>> >> > > please visit our website at www.baltimorecity.gov.<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > Thank you for your participation and interest in Baltimore City's<br>> >> > > recycling program.<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > Valentina I. Ukwuoma<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > Bureau Head<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > Bureau Of Solid Waste<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > Department of Public Works<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > 1000 Abel Wolman Mun. Building<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > 200 N. Holliday Street<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > Baltimore, Maryland 21202<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > -----Original Message-----<br>> >> > > From: Webmaster, COB<br>> >> > > Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 5:02 PM<br>> >> > > To: Ukwuoma, Valentina I<br>> >> > > Subject: FW: Baltimore City Frequestly Asked Questions<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > A constituent has submitted a requested for information or complaint<br>> >> ><br>> >> > > from the Baltimore City website. The request is the forwarded message<br>> >> ><br>> >> > > below.<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > You have received this email because the webmaster has found that<br>> >> > your<br>> >> > > agency is the closest contact found in our records to address this<br>> >> > issue.<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > If you are not capable of handling this issue, please forward to the<br>> >> ><br>> >> > > appropriate party. A follow up directly to the constituent is<br>> >> > > appreciated otherwise. All correspondence and forwards related to<br>> >> > this<br>> >> > > issue should Cc: webmaster@baltimorecity.gov. Thank you for your<br>> >> > > assistance.<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > Michael A. Karr<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > Web Master<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > Baltimore City Mayor's Office<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > 100 N. Holliday St. Room #339<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > Baltimore, MD. 21202<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > Office: 410-361-9126<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > Moble: 410-977-5312<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > Email: mike.karr@baltimorecity.gov<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > Web: http://www.baltimorecity.gov<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > **** IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR ALL: For ALL website update requests,<br>> >> > > please email to site.updates@baltimorecity.gov or your update will<br>> >> > NOT<br>> >> > > be posted. Thank you for your cooperation. ****<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > -----Original Message-----<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > From: Stephen Gewirtz [mailto:gewirtz@bellatlantic.net]<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > Sent: Monday, January 07, 2008 5:03 PM<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > To: Webmaster, COB<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > Subject: Baltimore City Frequestly Asked Questions<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > User: Stephen Gewirtz, mailto:gewirtz@bellatlantic.net<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > Categories: Recycling<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > I get Scoop Away cat litter in a plastic bucket that has a "5" on<br>> >> > it.<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > The bucket has a metal handle. Can the bucket be recycled, and do I<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > need to remove the handle? Can the handle be recycled? And since<br>> >> > the<br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > ><br>> >> > > lid is a sizable piece of "5" plastic, can it be recycled?<br>> >> > ><br>> >> ><br>> >> > _______________________________________________<br>> >> > Chat mailing list<br>> >> > Chat@charlesvillage.info<br>> >> > http://charlesvillage.info/mailman/listinfo/chat_charlesvillage.info<br>> >> > archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/chat@charlesvillage.info/<br>> >><br>> >><br>> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>> >> Get the power of Windows + Web with the new Windows Live. Get it now! <br>> >> <http://www.windowslive.com?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_powerofwindows_012008><br>> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>> >><br>> >> _______________________________________________<br>> >> Chat mailing list<br>> >> Chat@charlesvillage.info<br>> >> http://charlesvillage.info/mailman/listinfo/chat_charlesvillage.info<br>> >> archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/chat@charlesvillage.info/<br>> ><br>> <br>> _______________________________________________<br>> Chat mailing list<br>> Chat@charlesvillage.info<br>> http://charlesvillage.info/mailman/listinfo/chat_charlesvillage.info<br>> archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/chat@charlesvillage.info/<br><br><br><hr>Share life as it happens with the new Windows Live. <a href="http://www.windowslive.com/share.html?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_sharelife_012008" target="_blank">Start sharing!</a>
</blockquote><br /><hr />Get the power of Windows + Web with the new Windows Live. <a href='http://www.windowslive.com?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_powerofwindows_012008' target='_new'>Get it now!</a></body>
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