WHY RECYCLE?
Recycling is a very effective but simple way you can help preserve our communities and environment. No one wants to see our landfills get overfilled and overused. Our customers and our cities save money when we recycle.
Thank you for participating in recycling! Our customers have been recycling about 18-21% of their garbage. With the new program we started in 2005, we know this rate will increase even more.
Now recycling is easier than ever! Our new single container replaces the previous system that had three separate bins. You’ll enjoy the convenience of having one, large, covered container with wheels. Just set your recyclables in this large cart—no sorting is necessary!
Right now, we’ve seen that about 30% of families are regularly recycling. Won’t you join these households and help make the world a better, cleaner and more efficient place for the next generation?
SOME FACTS ABOUT RECYCLING
Plastic makes up about 10% of the waste thrown away by households. By adding this to our recycling program, we can significantly reduce the amount of waste going into our landfills.
Recycled plastics are made into items such as flower pots, composite lumber/decking materials, carpet fibers, textiles, benches and trash cans.
Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4,000 kilowatts of energy and 7,000 gallons of water!
In a lifetime, the average American will throw away 600 times his or her adult weight in garbage. This means that each adult will leave a legacy of as much as 100,000 pounds of trash for his or her children.
Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a television, or operate a computer for three hours!
Americans use 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour!
HOW YOU CAN RECYCLE
Pick up that phone and call UP Refuse at (253) 564-3212 to set up your recycling service. Remember, it doesn't cost anything extra; you save a little money on your garbage bill. Plus you get more space in your regular garbage. It's a win-win situation!
If you have large amounts of materials, or you have materials we don't collect in the toters (glass, scrap metals, appliances), we do collect additional recyclables at our Recycling Center. Find out more info on our Recycling Center page.