1. Reducing Pollution through Recycling
Patricia Speights, MPH Student
Walden University
Aspects of Environment Health: Local to Global (PUBH-6165)
Instructor: Dr. Robert Marino
Fall, 2010
The purpose of this presentation is to inform the general public of the importance of recycling.

2. Learning Outcomes Define recycling
Understand the importance of recycling
Recall the types of products that can be recycled
Recognized the facts surrounding products to be recycled
Define global warming
Define the cause of global warming
Recognized how to start a recycling program in a community
After this presentation one will be able to define recycling, understand the importance of recycling, recall the types of products that can be recycled, recognized facts about recycling, define global warming, define the cause of global warming, and be able to recognized how to start a recycling program in a community.

3. Pollution can be effectively managed by reducing reusing, and recycling
Reducing –simply means to cut back
Reusing – means to use an item more than once.
Pollution can be effectively managed by reducing, reusing, and recycling. Reducing simply means to cut back. It also means letting go of notions such as “bigger is better and new trumps old”. Reducing is actually the most effective thing one can do.
Reusing means to use an item more than once (EPA, 2010). For example one can reuse plastic containers such as a water bottle and other products.
So what is recycling.
Reference:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2010)Reduce, reuse, recycle, buy recycled, Retrieved on October 18, 2010 from
Reference:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2010)Reduce, reuse, recycle, buy recycled, Retrieved on October 18, 2010 from

4. What is recycling
Recycling is the process of taking a product at the end of its useful life and using all or part of it to make another product.
Recycling is the process of taking a product at the end of its useful life and using all or part of it to make another product (Earth 911, 2010). In other words, recycling means processing used materials to make new products (Wordreference, 2010). An example is recycling paper into paper bags or tissue paper.
References:
Earth 911 (2010). Recycling Retrieved on October 24, 2010 from
Word Reference.com (2010). Recycling. Retrieved on October 24, 2010 from
Reference:
Earth 911 (2010). Recycling 101. Retrieved on October 24, 2010 from

5. Things that can be used again or recycled include
Plastic
Paper
Glass
Aluminum
Batteries
Electronics, etc
About 60% of things that we use can be used again or recycled (Environment Green, 2010). Examples include plastic, paper (newspaper, magazine, etc) glass, aluminum, batteries, electronics, etc.
Environment Green (2010). Recycling facts and the benefits of recycling. Retrieved on October 7, 2010 from

6. Recycling Symbols and numbers What the numbers mean
1 – The easiest to recycle (normally consist of soda and water bottles as well as many other common food packages.
2 – Easy to recycle as well. Mostly used to package bleach, detergents, milk, containers, hair products, etc.
3 – Found in pipes, toys, furniture, packaging
4 – Use for many types of wrapping such as grocery bags and sandwich bags
5 – Mostly used in clothing, tubs, ropes, bottles, auto parts
6 – Mostly used in coffee cups, foam food trays, packaging peanuts
7 – Could be a mixture of any of the above or plastics not readily recycle
What do the recycling symbol and numbers mean. Products with the symbols and numbers of 1 (usually soda and water bottles as well as others) and 2 (milk, containers, hair products, etc) on the bottom of packaging are the easiest to recycle. Products with the symbol and number of 3 are usually found on toys, furniture, packaging. Products with the symbol and number of 4 are usually found on grocery and sandwich bags. Products with the symbol and number of 5 are used mostly in clothing, tubs, ropes, etc. Products with the symbol and number of 6 are mostly used in coffee cups, foam food trays, packaging peanuts. Products with the symbol and number of 7 could be a mixture of any of the above. Please note that any time you see a recycling symbol with the number 7 try to avoid it, because recyclers generally don’t want it (Green living tips, 2010).
Green Living Tips (2010). Recycling by the numbers. Retrieved on October 24, 2010 from
Reference:
Green living tips (2010). Recycling by the numbers. Retrieved on October 24, 2010 from

7. Benefits of recycling Can help save energy and water
Can help reduce overcrowding in landfills
Can help reduce air pollution
Can help create jobs
The benefits of recycling include helping to save energy and water, as well as helping to reduce the amount of waste (overcrowding) in landfills. Recycling can also help reduce air pollution (Environment Green, 2010). The benefits of recycling can help create jobs. For example, according to recycling revolution, recycling helps create 1.1 million jobs in the U.S. (2010).
Environment Green (2010). Recycling facts and the benefits of recycling. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from
Recycling Revolution (2010). Recycling facts. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from
References:
Environment Green (2010). Recycling facts and the benefits of recycling. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from
Recycling Revolution (2010). Recycling facts. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from

8. Facts about Recycling
Facts about recycling

9. Did you know that
If all our newspaper was recycled, we could save about 250,000,000 trees each year!
To produce each week's Sunday newspapers 500,000 trees must be cut down.
The average household throws away 13,000 separate pieces of paper each year.
Did you know that if all our newspaper was recycled, that we could save about 250,000,000 tree each year and that to produce each week’s Sunday newspaper 500,00 trees must be cut down. Also did you know that the average household throws away 13, 000 separate pieces of paper each year. Most of it being packaging and junk mail. In addition, magazines have a way of piling up month after month. According to the Magazine Publishers of America, only 20 percent of magazines are recycled from the home (Earth911, 2010), so don't forget to recycle these items as well. Paper is not the only thing that needs to be recycled.
Earth 911 (2010). Facts about magazines. Retrieved on November 7, 2010 from
Recycling Revolution (2010). Recycling facts. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from
Reference:
Recycling Revolution (2010). Recycling facts. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from

10. Did you also know that
Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours -- or the equivalent of a half a gallon of gasoline.
We use over 80,000,000,000 aluminum soda cans every year.
Let’s look at some facts about aluminum. Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours. We use 80 trillion aluminum soda cans every years. Did you also know there is no limit to the amount of times an aluminum can be recycled (recycling-revolution, 2010).
Recycling Revolution (2010). Recycling facts. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from
Reference:
Recycling Revolution (2010). Recycling facts. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from

11. Plastic Recycling Facts
We use 2,500,000 plastic bottles every hour! Most of them are thrown away!
We throw away 25,000,000,000 Styrofoam coffee cups every year
Let’s talk about plastic recycling facts. We use plastic in many ways. We wrap food with it, we eat off of it, we drink from it, and we may even wear it; however did you know that only 3 to 5% of plastic is recycled in the U.S. (Environment-Green, 2010). We use 2,500,000 plastic bottles every hour! Most of them are thrown away! Did you know that we throw away 25,000,000,000 Styrofoam coffee cups every year. In addition, did you also know that plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the oceans kills as many as 1,000,000 sea creatures every year (Recycling–revolution, 2010).
Reference:
Environment Green (2010). Recycling facts and the benefits of recycling. Retrieved on October 7, 2010 from
Recycling Revolution (2010). Recycling facts. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from
Reference:
Recycling Revolution (2010). Recycling facts. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from

12. Tire Recycling Facts
In the U.S., 920 million tires were used for non-commercial vehicles on the road in 2005, and every year on average, 290 million tires are disposed of. That’s about one tire per person in this country alone. Approximately 27 million tires, or nine percent, are said to be discarded in landfills.
Let’s talk about a few facts related to tire recycling. In the U.S., 920 million tires were used for non-commercial vehicles on the road in 2005, and every year on average, 290 million tires are disposed of. That’s about one tire per person in this country alone. Approximately 27 million tires, or nine percent, are said to be discarded in landfills. There are several environmental and health concerns when tires are disposed in landfills or in tire stockpiles. For instance
Tire piles can burn for months and they release a considerable amount of pollution or toxins in the air, soil, and water
Tires fires are hard to extinguish (put out)
In addition tires also attract pest such as mosquitoes that carry disease such a malaria, West Nile virus, yellow fever, dengue fever, etc. Tires also attract rodent that carry disease as well (earth 911, 2010). Now we are going to move on to Electronic recycling facts.
Reference:
Earth 911 (2010). Facts about tires. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from
Reference:
Earth 911 (2010). Facts about tires. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from

13. Electronic Recycling Facts
Although e-waste accounts for only 1 to 4 percent of municipal waste, it may be responsible for as much as 70 percent of the heavy metals in landfills, including 40 percent of all lead.
In the U.S., we generate an estimated 1.5 billion pounds of e-waste in 2006 alone. This includes about 44 million computers and televisions.
Only 10% of wireless devices are being recycled
Telephones, radios, TVs, computers and cell phones are items we use daily. However, these items make up the bulk of electronics that threaten the environment because of their e-waste (earth 911, 2010). Although e-waste accounts for only 1 to 4 percent of municipal waste, it may be responsible for as much as 70 percent of the heavy metals in landfills, including 40 percent of all lead. For example, in the U.S., we generated an estimated 1.5 billion pounds of e-waste in 2006 alone. This includes about 44 million computers and televisions. Also, based on EPA estimates, over a billion unused cell phones have accumulated in U.S. households. And every year, another 130 million phones are replaced (due to an mo contract), further compounding this problem (ErecyclingCorps, 2010). Furthermore, only 10% of wireless devices are being recycled. In addition electronics contain toxins such as lead, nickel, cadmium, mercury, etc all of which can cause problems for human health.
Reference:
Earth 911 (2010). E-waste harmful material. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from
ERecyclingCorps (2010). Reducing e-waste through reuse. Retrieved on October 24, 2010 from
References:
Earth 911 (2010). E-waste harmful material. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from
ERecyclingCorps (2010). Reducing e-waste through reuse. Retrieved on October 24, 2010 from

14. Glass Recycling Facts
Every month, we throw out enough glass bottles and jars to fill up a giant skyscraper. All of these containers are 100% recyclable! In fact they can be recycled endlessly.
Every month, we throw out enough glass bottles and jars to fill up a giant skyscraper. All of these containers are 100% recyclable! In fact they can be recycled endlessly.
Did you also know that the energy saved from recycling one glass bottle can run a 100-watt light bulb for four hours or a compact fluorescent bulb for 20 hours. Glass recycling also causes 20% less air pollution and 50% less water pollution than when a new bottle is made from raw materials (Recycling-revolution, 2010).
Now let’s talk about the effects of not recycling..
Recycling Revolution (2010). Recycling facts. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from
Reference:
Recycling Revolution (2010). Recycling facts. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from

15. Effects of not recycling
If we don’t recycle, we create a lot of pollution that could lead to sickness and disease. By now you’ve heard plenty about recycling, what to recycle, recycling facts, now lets hear a few facts about what happens if we don’t recycle. For instance …

16. Solid Waste and Landfills
The US population discards each year 16,000,000,000 diapers, 1,600,000,000 pens, 2,000,000,000 razor blades, 220,000,000 car tires, and enough aluminum to rebuild the US commercial air fleet four times over.
If we don’t recycle, landfills become overcrowded. Did you know that the U.S. is the #1 trash-producing country in the world at 1,609 pounds per person per year (Recycling-revolution, 2010). For instance, each year 16 billion diapers, 1.6 billion pens, 2, billion razor blades, 220 million car tires, and enough aluminum to rebuild the US commercial air fleet four times over are thrown away in landfills (Recycling-revolution, 2010).
Reference:
Recycling Revolution (2010). Recycling facts. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from
Reference:
Recycling Revolution (2010). Recycling facts. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from

17. Health Conditions that can occur from pollution
Respiratory problems such as asthma
Cancer
Premature Death
Behavioral disorders
Kidney disease
Neurological disorders
Cardiovascular problems
Also by not recycling we can create many health conditions. This can occur from factories having to recreate things that should have been recycled causing air pollution. Also, remember that things such as electronics and batteries which contain toxins (lead, mercury, cadmium,) can leak into our water, soil, and air supply and cause health issues such as respiratory problems, cancer, premature death, behavioral disorders, kidney disease, neurological disorders, cardiovascular problems, etc (EPA, 2010).
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2010). About air toxics. Retrieved November 6, 2010 from
Reference:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2010). About air toxics. Retrieved November 6, 2010 from

18. Other effects of not recycling can cause
Global Warming
Now, let’s talk about other effects of not recycling. Other effects of not recycling can cause global warming.

19. What is Global Warming
Global warming is an increase in the temperature of Earth’s surface.
What is global warming? Global warming is an increase in the average temperature of Earth’s surface.
Reference:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (2007). Global warming. Retrieved on October 18, 2010 from
Reference:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (2007). Global warming. Retrieved on October 18, 2010 from

20. What causes Global Warming
It occurs from an overabundance of carbon dioxide and other air pollution that traps the sun’s heat and causes the earth to warm up.
What causes global warming? Global warming occurs from an overabundance of carbon dioxide and other air pollution that traps the sun’s heat and causes the earth to warm up. Sources of Co2 include coal-burning power plants . In fact they are the largest U.S. source of carbon dioxide pollution producing 2.5 billion tons every year. Automobiles, are the second largest source, creating nearly 1.5 billion tons of CO2 annually (NRDC, 2005).
National Resource Defense Council (2010). Global warming basics. Retrieved on October 18, 2010 from
Reference:
National Resource Defense Council (2010). Global warming basics. Retrieved on October 18, 2010 from

21. What you can you do to help reduce global warming and pollution
Recycle food packaging (paper, plastic, aluminum, bottles, cans, etc.
Buy in bulk
Choose fresh and local instead of packaged food
Bank online
Opt out of solicitation mail
Recycle used oil
Have a garage sale
Greenscape your lawn
Buy recycled products with recycled content.
So, what can you do to help reduce global warming and pollution. Recycle food packaging (paper, plastic, aluminum, bottles, cans, etc., Buy in bulk, Choose fresh and local instead of packaged food, Bank online, Opt out of solicitation mail, Recycle used oil, Have a garage sale, Greenscape your lawn, Buy recycled products with recycled content, etc (EPA, 2010).
References:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2010). Reduce, reuse, recycle: practice the 3 r’s inside and out. Retrieved on October 18 from
Reference:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2010). Reduce, reuse, recycle: practice the 3 r’s inside and out. Retrieved on October 18 from

22. Other ways to help
If a recycling program exists in your community, start today by recycling your recyclable household items. If your community does not have a recycling program, help start one.
If a recycling program exists in your community, start today by recycling your recyclable household items. If your community does not have a recycling program, help start one.

23. To start a recycling program in your community
Contact elected officials in your area
Contact your local solid waste department
To start a recycling program in your community start by contacting elected officials in your area. You can also contact your local solid waste department (Earth 911, 2010).
Earth 911 (2010). Recycling Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from
Reference:
Earth 911 (2010). Recycling Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from

24. Questions
Any questions??? If no questions, thank you for joining me today. I hope that this presentation has inspired you to want to help make a change in the environment by recycling.

25. References:
Earth 911 (2010). Recycling Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from
Environment Green (2010). Recycling facts and the benefits of recycling. Retrieved on October 7, 2010 from
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2010). Reduce, reuse, recycle: practice the 3 r’s inside and out. Retrieved on October 18 from
ERecyclingCorps (2010). Reducing e-waste through reuse. Retrieved on October 24, 2010 from
Green Living Tips (2010). Recycling by the numbers. Retrieved on October 24, 2010 from
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (2007). Global warming. Retrieved on October 18, 2010 from
National Center for Electronic Recycling (2007). About ncer. Retrieved on October 5, 2010 from
National Resource Defense Council (2005). Global warming basics. Retrieved on October 18, 2010 from
Recycling Revolution (2010). Recycling facts. Retrieved on October 13, 2010 from
Word Reference.com (2010). Recycling. Retrieved on October 24, 2010 from

26. Sources for further reading
- this site provides information concerning everything you need to know about recycling
- this site provides recycling facts and benefits
- this site provides a list of efforts and resources to conserve energy at home and work
Electronics Recycling Directory: Directory of recyclers and others involved in the electronics recycling industry -
1800Recycling.com: Directory of recycling locations and other green topics, including electronics recycling locations this site enables you to do a search by zip code to find electronics recyclers in your area.
- this site allows you to do a state-by-state search for electronics recyclers by using their "clickable" map.
- this site enables you to do a search by zip code to find electronics recyclers in your area
Here’s some additional sources for further reading on recycling.
National Center for Electronic Recycling (2007). About ncer. Retrieved on October 5, 2010 from
Reference:
National Center for Electronic Recycling (2007). About ncer. Retrieved on October 5, 2010 from