Janet Schlarbaum Environment Safety Blog - Pennsylvania

Author: Robert Barrie

Recycling has taken many forms, as the “go green” movement has evolved. Business owners are now taking recycling and conservation seriously, as their ecological conscience guides them.

One of the newest and cost-productive means of recycling is that of ink and toner cartridges. This has become a viable means of waste management and resource efficiency. Ink cartridge manufacturers are guiding consumers and businesses, in choosing cartridges that will impact waste reduction efforts.

Cartridges are labeled, so that recommended guidelines can be followed. Products labeled as NZ licensed (environmental choice) are highly recommended. EMS labels indicate products that do not equate with maximized impact reduction, and should be avoided. Look for performance guarantees, when purchasing recycled or re-manufactured cartridges; or purchase new cartridges, with recycled contents.

One of the best aspects of recycling ink cartridges is that it is virtually cost-free. Businesses can find recyclers to take their used cartridges, and pay for the shipping. Some of these recycling companies will even pay the business for their waste (check with your local Office Max store). This, of course, is a cost-savings, rather than throwing away cartridges, and then buying new ones. Even better, it is oftentimes cheaper to buy the recycled cartridges back, than to buy a new one. Recycled cartridges have become increasingly less expensive than new ones. The net effect of all of this is that the more ink cartridges are recycled, the cheaper they become, and the more viable the cartridge recycling market becomes. It is a revolving cycle, with many benefits. There are other cost-saving aspects to maximizing resource efficiency, when it comes to ink cartridges. Reducing printing demands, by using electronic means, and using smaller fonts, for space efficiency, are two more options. As fewer cartridges are purchased and used, the fewer products need to be recycled or re-manufactured.

The impact of recycling ink cartridges, on our environment, is monumental. It isn’t simply the ink that is being recycled. Plastic and metal waste are being diverted from our landfills. When the plastic casings of the cartridges begin to decompose, poisonous toxins are seeping into our soil and water. Reducing cartridge manufacturing lowers net energy use, which ultimately impacts climate change. Further, reducing the amount of plastic products being used reduces the amount of oil that is consumed. Plastic cannot be manufactured, without oil. Eventually, greenhouse gases are affected, with respect to global climate change.

Recycling ink cartridges is really quite simple and cost-free. Finding a recycling company to take cartridges is not always a necessity either. It is quite simple to refill empty cartridges; and they can be taken into most office supply stores, for refills.

In conclusion, if I were going to give each aspect of recycling cartridges, as a viable conservation alternative, it be as follows, with a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being most prohibitive and 5 being most beneficial):

When it comes to cost to the business, it would be nonsensical to give it anything lower than a 5. If there is a cost anywhere, I can’t see it. Again, when it comes to cost-savings, I would have to give recycling cartridges a 5; because it is impossible not to save money, with this type of recycling. When it comes to ease of implementation, I would give a score of 4. There is a small amount of legwork to be done, simply to assess the best method of recycling cartridges, whether it is having them shipped out and then buying them back, or refilling the cartridges themselves.

Posted by Janet schlarbaum

Author: Jitesh Arora

Every ten pounds of recycled rubber powder used for creating synthetic polymers, and the rubber powder will prevent generation of ten pounds of carbon dioxide.

These days the uses of recycled rubber on highways will create an attention to the policy makers, geo-technical persons, environmental researchers and traffic operation engineers.

The most basic uses of recycled rubber are fills and embankments, erosion control and rail road crossings.

Recycled rubber also used in rubber footing on horse riding field. The rubber footing reduces the chances of infection and the added advantage is it looks much better than a concrete floor.

Today`s biggest problematic waste source is tire due to mass production and their durability. Only solution to this problem is tire recycling.

According to U.S. Environmental protection agency report shows in the year 2003 nearly 290 million scrap tire were produced.

Due to tire’s complex inner structure it’s difficult to recycle, Perhaps the best way to recycle the tire using ultrasound recycling. During recycling process under high pressure, heat and mechanical energy destroy the crosslink of any tire. After processing a gum rubber will produced - and that can be used for molding into any new rubber products.

But the recycling process of rubber is bit difficult. Here you can find some benefits of rubber recycling. Recycled rubber can cast the half then first one. Recovered rubbers have some good properties, which is not available on virgin rubber. Rubber recovery process takes less energy. Rubber recycling process conserves non renewable petroleum products.

Posted by Janet Schlarbaum

By: Ross Bainbridge

A large number of plastic containers and bags are used on a daily basis. Plastic waste is one of the biggest causes for increased water and soil pollution. Plastic recycling offers one of the best solutions to the increased plastic waste in the environment. Plastic recycling is the process of breaking down used scrap and waste plastics to recover usable material for the manufacturing industry. Plastic comprises of a large number of resins and complex chemical structures that are melted down to create new fibers.

Plastic recycling is a complex procedure. Plastic recycling industries can face a large number of unique challenges. One of the key principles to be followed while recycling plastic is that different types of plastics cannot be mixed before recycling. Plastics of different polymer structures and resin composition are identified by using standard codes on the basis of their melting and crushing capacity. Plastic materials identified under a particular code can be mixed and recycled with other plastics of the same code. Plastic materials consist of a few dyes, fillers, and additives, which are not easily recyclable.

The obstacles of recycling plastic can be overcome by using an elaborate monomer recycling process wherein the polymer undergoes an inverse polymer reaction of what was used to manufacture it. The end product of this procedure is a mix of chemicals that form the original polymer, which is further purified and synthesized to form a new polymer of the same type. Another solution to the problem is the use of a thermal de-polymerization process, which involves conversion of assorted polymers into petroleum. The procedure accepts the mixing of any type of polymer.

Plastic recycling can be used to recycle plastic container of different types. Plastic containers such as milk bottles, soapboxes, and juice and water bottles are recycled on a common basis. Grocery sacks and plastic bags are some of the other plastic products that can be recycled.

A plethora of websites on the Internet provides detailed information about recycling plastic along with its benefits.

Posted by Janet Schlarbaum

Author: Shen Gerald

What is Recycling? It is the reprocessing of old materials into new products.

What is the purpose of recycling? Basically it is for the prevention of wastage of potentially useful materials.A more detailed breakdown of its benefits are:

1. Reduction of the usage of fresh raw materials. This helps in preserving natural resources.

2. Reduction of energy usage. Incredible volume of energy are used to create products from raw materials. Recycling requires much less energy and therefore helps to preserve natural resources

3. Reduction of air and water pollution. This is achieved by reducing the need for traditional waste disposal.

4. Reduction of pollution caused by waste. Harmful chemicals and greenhouse gasses are released from rubbish in landfill sites.

5. Saves space that are otherwise used for Waste Disposal Landfill sites are filled up by a huge amount of waste products. These waste could have been recycled. Recycling allows for the proper usage of these waste products and thus saves space for landfills.

This recycling important? Yes it is. Our planet is already in a dire strait. If we do not recycle, the problems of human civilization will get worse and worse. Recycling is one of the best ways for individual like you and I to do our part to the betterment of our environment and world. Recycling is important to both the natural environment and us humans alike. Time is really running short. We must do our part.

By: Caitlina Fuller

When you get a new computer what do you do with the old one? Do you just bag it up and put it out with the trash? Even if your computer is no longer working you should not simply throw it out with the trash. Why? Because there is a growing problem with electronic waste, also known as e-waste. E-waste is filling up our land fills and is releasing toxins into the earth that can cause toxins to get into our drinking water and into the soil, which will come back to harm us in the future. Computer recycling is something that everyone should choose to take part in, instead of filling the landfills with waste that cannot disintegrate overtime and is poisonous.

If you are updating your computer and you need to get rid of your old one, you should be sure that you take it to a place that can safely reuse or dispose of it. When you throw it in the landfill you need to know that your computer will not break down over time, instead it will simply continue to take up space and even contaminate the land it is in. Because of this, you need to look into the safe computer disposal. In most cities there are now several safe disposal locations for you to bring your computer in for safe disposal. More of these locations are opening up all the time, so don’t assume that your area doesn’t have one.

When you bring your computer to these repositories for safe disposal they will simply take your computer off your hands, they won’t give you anything in exchange for it except the knowledge that you are not contributing to the e-waste that is taking up a lot of space in our landfills! If you would like something in exchange for your computer, you should consider selling your computer through an auction site or to a friend, as most of the safe disposal options are not going to pay for your computer, instead they are going to safely dispose of it for you!

Safe PC disposal should be the concern of anyone who uses a computer and is going to simply throw one away. If you are not sure where you can go to dispose of your old computer you should look in the yellow pages for your city. If nothing else, call a computer shop that you are aware of and ask them if they know where you can dispose of it, in all likelihood they will be able to point you in the right direction. Luckily, the process will not take you far out of your way and it will take just a few minutes of your time to do something great for the environment.

Posted by Janet Schlarbaum