Berkeley County is one of the fastest growing counties in the whole nation. Unfortunately, with growth comes growing pains. The county's waste ends up in the Hedgesville land fill. Don't we want to keep Berkeley County as free from garbage as we possibly can? How is the land fill going to possibly contain the amount of trash that this county produces every day. Already, the land fill is reaching their maximum amount of garbage by the end of the month, sometimes having to halt the incoming trash until the next month begins!. Some residents in Hedgesville have even reported smelling an odor on occasions.

why recycle?

Is it worth the extra effort to recycle? Consider the following:

Forest

Recycling conserves natural resources.

Recycling a four-foot stack of newspapers saves the equivalent of one 40-foot fir tree.

One ton of recycled paper saves 3,700 pounds of lumber and 24,000 gallons of water.

If everyone in the U.S. recycled just 1/10 of their newsprint, we would save the estimated equivalent of about 25 million trees a year.
Recycling slows the growth of landfills.

In this decade, it is projected that Americans will throw away over 1 million tons of aluminum cans and foil, more than 11 million tons of glass bottles and jars, over 4 and a half million tons of office paper and nearly 10 million tons of newspaper. Almost all of this material could be recycled.
Recycling saves energy.

Recycling one glass bottle saves enough electricity to light a 100-watt light bulb for four hours.

You can make 20 recycled aluminum cans with the energy it takes to make one new aluminum can from bauxite ore.

Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for 3 hours.

Annually, enough energy is saved by recycling steel to supply Los Angeles with electricity for almost 10 years.

Recycled paper saves 60% energy vs. virgin paper.
Recycling reduces pollution.

Recycling all of your home's waste newsprint, cardboard, glass, and metal can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 850 pounds a year.

Recycled glass generates 20% less air pollution and 50% less water pollution.
Recycling begins with you.

Large changes happen because of many small changes. You have to recycle one bottle, can, or newspaper before you can recycle a ton. Will you be a part of the problem or a part of the solution?

Please recycle - you make the difference!

Recycling Hints

1. Wash all bottles and containers. This keeps bugs away and prevents contamination.

2. Throw the caps away.

3. Put your newspapers in a paper bag or tie them in bundles.

4. Do not place broken glass in recycling.

It is important to know exactly what your waste hauler accepts. Some haulers accept more materials than others. To find out exactly what your hauler accepts, contact their customer service department and ask them to send you information about what they recycle.

Items that can be recycled at Berkeley County recycling drop-off sites:

Glass - Rinsed Out, unbroken jars and bottles; lids removed.

Aluminum and Steel Cans - Also aluminum foil, pie pans, empty aerosol cans. Rinsed out cans, labels still attached are okay.

#1 and #2 Plastic Containers - Milk jugs, soda bottles, and detergent bottles, rinsed out with caps removed. Cooking oil and Motor oil bottles unrinsed with lids closed tight.

Newspapers, Magazines, Mixed Office Paper and Brown Paper Bags - Do not place in plastic bags.

Cardboard - Please call for current locations.

Recycling Process

Collecting and processing secondary materials, manufacturing recycled-content products, and then purchasing recycled products creates a circle or loop that ensures the overall success and value of recycling.

Step 1. Collection and Processing
Collecting recyclables varies from community to community, but there are four primary methods: curbside, drop-off centers, buy-back centers, and deposit/refund programs.

Regardless of the method used to collect the recyclables, the next leg of their journey is usually the same. Recyclables are sent to a materials recovery facility to be sorted and prepared into marketable commodities for manufacturing. Recyclables are bought and sold just like any other commodity, and prices for the materials change and fluctuate with the market.

Step 2. Manufacturing
Once cleaned and separated, the recyclables are ready to undergo the second part of the recycling loop. More and more of today's products are being manufactured with total or partial recycled content. Common household items that contain recycled materials include newspapers and paper towels; aluminum, plastic, and glass soft drink containers; steel cans; and plastic laundry detergent bottles. Recycled materials also are used in innovative applications such as recovered glass in roadway asphalt (glassphalt) or recovered plastic in carpeting, park benches, and pedestrian bridges.

Step 3. Purchasing Recycled Products
Purchasing recycled products completes the recycling loop. By "buying recycled," governments, as well as businesses and individual consumers, each play an important role in making the recycling process a success. As consumers demand more environmentally sound products, manufacturers will continue to meet that demand by producing high-quality recycled products.