Green Saves Green Member Meeting Minutes

Monday, January 8, 2024

5:30 p.m., Pasquotank County Library

Present: Gerry Anderson, Grace Atkins, Cole Barlow, Karl Brandspigel, Sharon Burtner, Krystina Cato, Nita Coleman, Craig Crutchfield, Chris Day, Jane Elfring, Karen Foreman, David Fynn, Laura Granado, Marlene Greer, Yaffa Howell, Sarah Hudson, Bobbie Hunsberger, Kurt Hunsberger, Rodney Johnson, Charles Jordan, Steven King, Bill Kruse, Sue Kruse, Jan Lauten, Makalah Lee, Maria Mandis, Chuck Martin, Mika McDaniels, Lynn Nash, Jackie Newrocky, Misti Rewis, Julie Robinson, Dixie Sakolosky, Randy Saunders, Jane Snyder, Cheryl Squire, John Stolarczyk, Steve VanGiesen, Ruth Wells, Adam White, Gavin White, Holly White

How to recycle right in 2024

Presentation by Janice Browne, Pasquotank County Recycling Coordinator; Brad Gardner, Pasquotank County Solid Waste; Kathy Russell, TFC Recycling, Chesapeake, VA

Kathy provided an overview of what happens to the containers of single-stream recyclables TFC receives. Items are dumped into a large warehouse, moved to a conveyor belt where they are sorted, then crushed and bundled into large blocks. Some blocks are sent overseas to India and Indonesia. Others, like aluminum cans, are sent locally. Contaminated recyclables go to a waste-to-energy plant for incineration. TFC charges cities and counties a processing fee by tonnage. TFC does not process recyclables from Pasquotank County.

In TFC’s education outreach, Kathy uses two key phrases to help people determine what is/is not recyclable and help reduce contamination: 

Paper, bottles, and cans. 

When in doubt, throw it out.

Key points on Pasquotank County recycling 

Counties must provide a recycling program per state statute.

People continually put the wrong products in recycling. Contamination rate is high. In order to increase our recycling rate, it will have to be a lot cleaner than it is now.

Glass bottles and jars collected in recycle bins are sold to a company in NC. All other recycling is compacted and delivered to a processing/sorting facility at a cost to the county. 

Clean paper, cardboard, and envelopes are recyclable. But do not put loose shredded paper in the recycle bin. It clogs the machines. Put shredded paper in a paper bag and staple closed. Then put it in with the recyclables.

The three main types of plastic which are recyclable in Pasquotank are water/soda bottles, milk jugs, and laundry detergent bottles (numbers 1 and 2). Typically, if it has a neck it is recyclable. Caps and lids can be put in the recycling with the plastic container, but not squirt tops or pumps. Those go in the trash. No other plastic is recyclable in Pasquotank. No clamshells. No plastic packaging. No plastic bags. No plastic utensils or cups. No plastic buckets.

Also, no aerosol cans, like Pam or hairspray. No batteries. No cartons. No Styrofoam. No pizza boxes.

What county wants to do going forward

Educate the community on what is/is not recyclable. Create better signage for the convenience centers with a QR code to help people determine what is/is not appropriate for the bins. Reduce contamination rate. Janice said the county does not want people to stop recycling. It wants them to do it better.

Suggestions

Better training for staff at recycling centers. Someone mentioned staff at the Weeksville Road and other county waste sites are telling people not to bother putting items in the recycle bin because it all goes in the trash anyway. Janice advised recyclables are only taken to the landfill when the load is contaminated. 

Go to classrooms and talk to students about the importance of recycling. Give them a way to recycle that’s not so complicated. 

Upcoming Events

Plant a Valentine. February 10-17. We will be giving tees away at three locations in downtown Elizabeth City. Need volunteers to help wrap and give away trees.

Next GSG meeting will be 5:30 p.m. Monday, February 12 at the Pasquotank County Library.