| " REDUCE first, then reuse, then recycle." |
Currently an excel spreadsheet
including basic materials as well as
more obscure ones such as
mattresses and carpet pads.
Although we personally verified this
information, please call beforehand
to ensure they are still accepting.
including basic materials as well as
more obscure ones such as
mattresses and carpet pads.
Although we personally verified this
information, please call beforehand
to ensure they are still accepting.
| Recycling in Houston |
With all the recent media about recycling being sent
to the landfills, SLH asked local recyclers how they
were handling the economic down turn.
to the landfills, SLH asked local recyclers how they
were handling the economic down turn.
| Landfills in the Greater Houston Area 22 active landfills 500 closed landfills Information retrieved from the Houston-Galveston Area Council Website. |
or no knowledge about the environment and sustainable living. Some of our focuses include recycling, alternative transportation, organic/local foods and childhood education. |
| What is a landfill? In basic terms, a landfill is an area of land, larger than 1/4 acre according to the federal government, used to isolate unwanted items from the environment. Current landfills consist of layers. From the bottom up: Compacted clay Plastic liner Leachate Collection Pipe Geotextile Mat Gravel Drainage Layer Soil Layer Cells Cells are the unwanted items. Soil is put over the cells until it reaches the maximum planned capacity. It is then covered with more soil. The goal is to keep liquid out, so rain water runs through pipes to drainage ditches. Some water gets into the landfills and percolates down through contaminants and collects in a leachate pond. It is then treated as sewage. |
| Of the 251 million tons of trash or solid waste generated in the United States in 2006, about 81.8 million tons or 32.5 percent, was either recycled or composted [source: EPA]. Before recycling, trash mostly consists of paper products, yard clippings, plastics and food waste. |
| Trash Facts |
The 8 county area surrounding
Houston compromises 4.5 million
tons of the national amount.
60% of the 4.5 million is paper,
cardboard, aluminum and yard
waste. [source: H-GAC]
Houston compromises 4.5 million
tons of the national amount.
60% of the 4.5 million is paper,
cardboard, aluminum and yard
waste. [source: H-GAC]
| 58% of our area's waste come from residents. |