FREE AGRICULTURAL PLASTICS RECYCLING EVENTS - FALL 2010
Bring dry, clean (remove loose material) plastics to the following locations.
San Juan County Ag Plastics Recycling Locations and Dates:
SHAW: Saturday, September 18th 12-2:00 pm - Shaw Community Center
ORCAS: Monday, October 4th 1:00 pm-3:30 pm -Orcas Island Solid Waste facility
LOPEZ: Thursday, October 7th 12:30 pm-3:00 pm -Lopez Is. Solid Waste facility
SAN JUAN: Saturday, October 9th 9am to 1:00 pm -San Juan County Fairgrounds
What is Ag Plastic?
Nursery plots/flats
Plant labels
Plastic buckets and lids
Twine (contained)
Soil amendment bags (turned inside out and shaken clean)
PVC pipe
Tarps
Strapping
Drip tape
Plastic hose reels
Reemay row cover
Bird/deer netting (in a bag)
Hay bale wrap (MUST be clean and dry or they will NOT ACCEPT)
(Recycling Cost for Ag Plastics off island is $.03-.05 per pound at Skagit River Steel & Recycling)
For more information contact Helen Venada at (360) 370-0503
Recycled ag plastics become feedstock in the manufacture of automotive parts, tool handles, drain pipe and trash bags as well as plastic lumber for benches, flooring, pallets, decking, posts and pilings.
It is estimated that plastics can take up to 400 years to break down in landfills; farmers and gardeners from the San Juan Islands have diverted from landfill about 45 tons of ag plastics over the last two years’ recycling collections. Burning plastics is illegal; it creates highly toxic fumes that are especially harmful to people with asthma, allergies, or other respiratory/cardiac problems.
THANK YOU FOR RECYCLING!
Helen Venada, SJC Solid Waste Division
Candace Jagel, WSU Extension Office
Kris Bayas, WSU Master Gardeners Program
Peggy Bill, SJC Agricultural Resources Committee
Danna Kinsey, San Juan Islands Conservation District
Bruce Gregory, San Juan Islands Conservation District
Recycling at your event
Recycling for events
Recycling Computers
Computer Recycling Opportunities
Why Recycle? Here is how long it takes for material to breakdown.
Biodegradable Timeline
Cans (aluminum) 200 yrs
Cans (tin) 50 years
Cardboard box 2 months
Cotton Rope 3 to 14 months
Diapers (Biodegradable) 1 yr
Diapers (disposable) 450 yrs
Fishing line 600 yrs
Glass Undetermined
Photo-degradable drinking cup 6 months
Plastic bags & wrappers 10 to 20 yrs
Plastic bottle 450 yrs
Plastic six-pack holder 400 yrs
Styrofoam (buoy) 80 yrs
Styrofoam (cup) 50 yrs
Wood (painted 15 yrs
Wood (Plywood) 1 to 3 yrs
80% of marine debris is washed, blown or dumped from land. Plastic accounts for more than 50% of all marine debris. Many objects look like food to marine mammals and birds - this debris can lodge in their stomachs and cause starvation.
PLEASE DON'T LITTER-RECYCLE