America Recycles Day

America Recycles Day, sponsored by the National Recycling Coalition, is one of the most comprehensive recycling awareness campaigns in the nation. Each year millions of people become better informed about recycling and the importance of choosing recycled content products and packaging. Locally, America Recycles Day is co-sponsored by Kitsap County Public Works and Kitsap Sun Newspaper.

Poster Contest for America Recycles Day
Winners will. be announced here - check back here soon
Twelve posters chosen as grade level winners will be featured on this website and in the Kitsap Sun newspaper and website.  In addition, all entries will appear in the photo gallery at http://www.kitsapsun.com

Recycling is important!  
Each year Americans generate nearly 230 million tons of municipal solid waste. That’s more than 4.6 pounds per person per day. To put this into context, the paper that four people use in a year weighs as much as a small car, about 2,300 pounds.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “Incinerating 10,000 tons of waste creates one job; landfilling 10,000 tons of waste creates six jobs; recycling 10,000 tons of waste creates 36 jobs”. So, by recycling we can help create jobs, conserve energy, save natural resources, and reduce waste, while protecting our environment.  The item you recycled today can then be used as feedstock in the remanufacturing of new products tomorrow.

• Recycling one ton of newspaper saves 4,074-kilowatt hours of electricity – enough to heat about six homes for a week!
• Recycling one ton of aluminum saves 37 barrels of oil.
• Recycling of each ton of paper saves 17 trees and 7000 gallons of water (EPA)
• Glass never wears out - it can be recycled forever.
• Plastics require 100 to 400 years to break down in a landfill

Recycling in Kitsap County:
The Solid Waste Division’s programs encourages all residents to recycle, choose recycled-content products, and increase participation in recycling activities. This creates economic demand for collected recyclables.

Last year, Kitsap County residents and businesses recycled nearly 21,000 tons recyclable material through Curbside Programs! In 2008:

• Kitsap County residents brought 40 thousand pounds of household batteries to drop-box facilities for recycling.
• Over 6,600 Kitsap and Mason County residents brought 621,382 pounds of household hazardous waste to the Kitsap County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility for proper disposal or recycling.
• Kitsap County residents brought over 3,900 gallons of antifreeze to the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility

Staff Contact:   Jo Meints, Education & Outreach Coordinator

Kitsap County Public Works
Solid Waste Division
(360) 337-5777 or (800) 825-4940
solidwaste@co.kitsap.wa.us