Recycle Utah

Nonprofit Summit County, Utah Recycling Center

Sustainable Materials

Textile Recycling for A Sustainable Future of Fashion

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The escalating issue of textile waste, with millions of pounds ending up in landfills annually, has sparked a significant movement towards recycling fabrics. In the United States alone, an individual averages 70 pounds of textile waste per year, yet only a small fraction is currently recycled. This calls for an urgent shift towards more sustainable practices, with the potential to yield substantial environmental, economic, and social benefits.

By recycling textiles, we conserve precious landfill space and significantly reduce the demand for new materials, which in turn saves water, cuts down petroleum use, and lowers the emission of harmful chemicals from traditional production processes. Economically, textile recycling diminishes disposal costs and bolsters the economy by retaining valuable materials within the supply chain through the repurposing of recycled fibers into new products. Socially, the initiative extends beyond environmental and economic gains, providing essential items to those in need and encouraging creativity and innovation through the upcycling of materials. This holistic approach to recycling not only addresses the urgent need for waste reduction but also fosters a more sustainable, inclusive, and creative society.

Efforts are underway to combat the challenges of textile recycling, such as the complexity of processing blended materials and the lack of advanced recycling technology. Massachusetts and the EU are leading initiatives to improve textile recycling infrastructure, aiming for a more sustainable future.

An estimated 95% of used textiles can be recycled, even if they are damaged. Consumers can play a crucial role by donating to charities, using take-back programs, and supporting retailers that offer recycling incentives. Brands like H&M, the North Face, and Levi Strauss are making it easier for consumers to recycle textiles, offering discounts or credits in return.

The journey towards effective textile recycling is filled with challenges, but the collective efforts of governments, businesses, and individuals can make a significant difference. By embracing sustainable practices, we can reduce the environmental impact of textile waste and pave the way for a greener future. 

By Chelsea Hafer

What Happens to your Trash and Recycling?

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You’ve probably been told countless times that you must monitor your plastic consumption, recycle, and compost. It would be a lot more beneficial for America if people knew the reason why.

What happens to your trash and recycling after it gets picked up? Many Americans don’t know the answer. For people living along the Wasatch Back, when your recycling is picked up it is taken to a transfer station in which it will be sorted and recyclables such as plastic, cardboard, paper, and aluminum, are sent to processing plants and recycled. When your garbage is picked up, it is brought to a landfill where it is dumped into a cell, and hard soil is placed on top of it as a cap. Other safeguards such as liners and detention pools prevent harmful substances from polluting the soil and creating harmful run-off.

Waste has very negative effects on the environment. Per year, an estimated 14 million tons of plastic end up in the oceans one way or another. Massive landfills emit carbon dioxide and methane through the breaking down of waste. Overall, waste production and removal are a problematic situation worldwide. Individuals can help by recycling and composting, but the best thing to do is always monitor what and how much you are throwing away.

By Grayson Rae, Sophomore at Park City High School

How Batteries Find a New Life at Recycle Utah

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In an era heavily influenced by technological advancements, batteries have become an integral component of our daily lives, powering an array of devices from remotes to sophisticated electric vehicles. However, the challenge arises when these batteries reach the end of their lifespan. Enter Recycle Utah, a reliable resource for the responsible disposal of any type of battery.

Recycle Utah streamlines the recycling process with drop-off bins outside our office, categorized for alkaline, rechargeable, and large batteries. Collaborating with industry leaders such as Battery Solutions and Interstate Batteries, Recycle Utah orchestrates the environmentally sound recycling journey of batteries, encompassing a wide range from alkaline to car batteries.

Within these recycling facilities, batteries undergo a systematic separation and disassembly process. Alkaline and zinc-based batteries are subjected to a specialized room temperature mechanical separation, yielding zinc and manganese concentrate, steel, and paper/plastic for reuse. Lithium-ion batteries, prominent in electronic devices, undergo a room temperature, oxygen-free mechanical process, producing cobalt and lithium salt concentrate, stainless steel, and aluminum. The intricate processes employed guarantee not only the recycling but the transformation of batteries into valuable materials to produce new items, contributing to a circular and sustainable battery economy.

In contemplating the repercussions of improper battery disposal, the potential release of toxic materials into the environment looms large, posing significant threats to both human health and ecosystems. Improper disposal, whether in landfills or through incineration, risks soil contamination and the emission of toxic fumes. Recycle Utah’s recycling processes serve as a safeguard against such environmental hazards, underscoring the importance of responsible battery recycling. Through partnerships, effective sorting, and advanced recycling technologies, Recycle Utah paves the way for a greener future where batteries find renewal without compromising environmental well-being.

By Chelsea Hafer

The Footprint of Online Returns

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Oh, the joy and convenience of typing a few keys in search of that perfect jacket, punching purchase, and having it arrive on your doorstep three days later. There are environmental pros and cons to both online and in-store purchases depending on one’s consumerism knowledge and awareness. The clencher is timing; our societal ‘now’ mindset wants items the next day after purchasing, which means the product could be transported by airplane or in a partially full truck. Can it wait? Also, can multiple items be purchased from the same supplier to minimize packaging and trips? Choosing slower shipping options not only saves money but also allows for retailers to have more time to plan and consolidate deliveries.

Then, there are the returns. Customers return at least 30% of clothing purchased online resulting in millions of tons of carbon emissions per year. Finally, the waste. About one in four returned goods is landfilled, possibly due to out of season styles. So, what is the best way to reduce returns from online shopping? So, how can you best reduce your returns when shopping online?

  1. Does the item have complete product information including customer reviews?
  2. Could retailers offer a discount on items that aren’t returned?
  3. Do retailers resell, donate, repurpose, or recycle returned clothes? Learn before you buy and find out how returns are handled.
  4. Are there local options for your desired online product?
  5. Do not purchase multiple sizes online knowing that a return is inevitable.
  6. Double check your ‘cart’ for size, color, etc. before purchasing.

In conclusion, knowing that we’re all drawn to online convenience, I’m still a fan of buying locally to support our businesses and save on packaging. Returns are less likely with in-store purchases. Research reveals only 9% of items are returned from in-store purchases versus 30% online. Let’s be mindful about how we buy things by consolidating errands and shopping to reduce car trips. The pandemic may have exacerbated online purchases, but there’s no reason we can’t tweak our buying behavior and reverse the trend.

By Mary Closser

Remodeling Reclamation

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Recycling is important– it keeps materials out of landfills and saves natural resources by creating new items from old. What’s far better than recycling though are the first two R’s: Reduce and Reuse. Buy something that already exists versus something newly created from natural resources; usually oil, ore, plants, or sand are the natural resources items are made from. Thrift stores are optimal by offering used clothing, kitchenware, books, shoes, and more. Then, there are keen kitchen gadgets popping up to replace plastic wrap or aluminum foil to cover bowls and cans, washable/durable sponges, washable/reusable paper towels, and more. It’s wonderful to see what the market offers these days.

Another area many don’t think about with Reduce and Reuse is home remodeling projects. I recently added a small bathroom to my condo to entice my son to return home from college more. The Reuse challenge was super fun. Ultimately, I was able to use leftover floor tile from Modern Tile in SLC, and the sink, toilet, door, shelving, light fixture, and trim mainly from Recycle Utah’s Warehouse Thrift Store. It looks terrific and slightly eclectic. Extended dedication would have involved leftover drywall and wood, light switches, paint, and towel racks, while insulation and the shower would have been more challenging. The point is that options are available if we have time to hunt, and we can’t forget about the saved money and resources.

Between local building thrifts like Recycle Utah and Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore, not to mention numerous others in the Salt Lake Valley, the sky is the limit. Everything comes from a natural resource, and many are non-renewable. Let’s get savvy about how we proceed with our purchases from clothes and furniture to cars and home remodels. Can we Reduce or Reuse before we Recycle?

By Mary Closser

The Better Choice: Garbage Disposal or Trashcan? NEITHER!

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Are you making the best choice with your family’s food waste? Food scraps we grind up in the garbage disposal, an appliance generally prohibited in Europe, travel through 300 miles of aging sewer pipes to a water reclamation district plant. There, the food waste may or may not pass through huge entry filters. If it makes it, it continues flowing with the rest of the organic solids in our wastewater for further treatment. In the process, byproduct biogas—60% methane, and carbon dioxide—is emitted. The organic solids that don’t pass through the filters, become a gritty sludge that is trucked to—yes, the Three Mile Canyon Landfill. There it decomposes anaerobically along with the food waste we throw in the trashcan creating—yes, methane gas. The Snyderville Basin Water Reclamation District plants and Summit County’s landfill are relatively very small and neither has a methane cap system. In 2020, SBWRD captured and trucked 300 tons of sludge to the landfill. Last year we dumped 1400 tons of food waste there—30% of the landfill’s total solid waste.

Our best choice? To divert food waste from the landfill and reduce methane pollution, we must compost it and turn it naturally into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. We have four composting choices: backyard composting (bins available to purchase at Recycle Utah), electric indoor composting, worm composting, and membership in Spoil to Soil’s curbside composting service. Spoil to Soil’s rapidly growing 44-acre off-grid farm in Brown’s Canyon accepts ALL food waste! In addition to plant-based food, houseplants, and yard waste, they now accept meat, bone, grains, dairy, grease, soiled paper towels, uncoated paper products, and cardboard! Contact them at www.spoiltosoil.org to learn more.

Parents tell their children to “clean your plate.” The expression came into existence in World War I when the U.S. government worried about wartime food shortages. It was revived during World War II when Harry Truman urged Americans to curb their food waste to send food supplies to starving post-war Europeans. Elementary schools promptly formed Clean Your Plate Clubs! So, figure out how composting can work for your family and “clean your plate.” Don’t run the disposal. Don’t throw food waste in the trashcan—and enjoy making a lot fewer trips dragging your trash barrel to the curb.

By Bev Harrison