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If at first, second Sometimes after trying something every which way, you come to the realization that, “it’s just not gonna work”. And so it is with our rag & textile recycling efforts at the Oneida County Solid Waste Department. After trying for over three years, the costs often greatly exceeded landfilling (and that’s without including our time and labor). The primary problem has been moisture. On average, it takes us over a year to get enough old clothes and other textiles for a full truckload. Without a heated storage facility, baled textiles absorb moisture from the air as the temperature fluctuates throughout the year. After months of storage, place 20 tons of moist textiles in a semi-trailer during three hot July days and you have a veritable breeding ground for mold and other fun micro-organisms. Needless to say, our end users were not too thrilled… So for now at least, if your old clothing and textiles are not wanted by a thrift shop or “Rummage Sailor”, they will just go into the garbage (that’s the clothing, not the Rummage Sailor). To recycle Shakespeare, “It is better to have recycled and lost, then to have never recycled at all!” (hopefully, my English Lit teacher from high school never sees this article). Unfortunately the loss of textile recycling is a harbinger of things to come… Landfill tipping fees and thus revenues have continued to drop. Annually 10-15% of these revenues had been used to start recycling, composting and hazardous waste operations. Following final capping of the landfill (likely to take place in 2002) each of these enterprises will need to be economically self supporting. Now, this is not a “doom & gloom/end of the world” type statement, since the County’s current recycling, composting and hazardous waste enterprises are fast approaching economic independence. However, our opportunities to even experiment with new waste reduction programs will continue to decrease as long as landfill tipping fees decrease. As a result, the percentage of solid waste landfilled by Oneida County will continue to climb. What to do? The biggest single asset we have is YOU, since waste reduction is certainly a great opportunity for everyone to “think globally, act locally”. Check out our website at newnorth.net/oneidacountylandfill (Yup! More garbage on the internet!) for some ideas: Ensure that you’re recycling all you can be Start a compost bin (and reduce your residential garbage production by 50% or more) Buy in bulk, bigger packages make less waste Finally, Buy what you need; Use what you buy (particularly with paints and hazardous wastes) ….and as always, Thank you for your support! |
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©2004 Oneida County Solid Waste Department
PO Box 400
Rhinelander, WI 54501
PO Box 400
Rhinelander, WI 54501
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