Recycling Services You Can Offer to Improve Your Community
Most communities have some form of recycling service available for glass, plastics, and paper. The problem with these services is that most people may not use them, and you aren't sure in some cases how the items are being recycled. If this is a concern for you, you may be looking for other ways to recycle items or other services. One option is to offer your own recycling and upcycling services that can improve your community and bring green living education to your area. Here are a few recycling services you may want to consider.
Paper to Firelog Upcycling
A recycling service you may not consider is a paper to fire log option. Newspapers and junk mail can be shredded and recycled into fire logs and fire pit fire starters for the fall and winter months. The process is fairly simple. You would take the papers that are donated to your recycling service and shred them. After shredding them, you place the shredded paper into water to dampen the pieces. After the paper is damp, place it into a mold and pack it down. Allow the bricks to cure and dry. You can store them in a cool dry place and use them in your fire pit or indoor fireplace as needed. This service can be a turnaround fundraiser for schools as well by offering the recycling service and selling the recycled firelogs to the community.
Denim Recycling Service
When you think of recycling services, you may not think of denim that gets tossed out. Denim does decompose, but it can also be recycled into useful items for you and your community. Three items that use recycled denim are grow pots or planters, denim insulation, and household items like cleaning clothes and blankets. If you want to start a denim recycling service, you could resell the denim later at community events as one of the previously mentioned recycled projects. This would give back to your community, give a bit to you, and keep jeans out of landfills.
Glass Recycling Services
Most recycling services offered by waste management facilities already have glass recycling, but it is sometimes difficult to find a drop off point or meet the requirements for disposal on recycling day. An option is to offer a glass recycling service that can take things like mason jars, baby food jars, and store bought jars for soups and sauces. You can then recycle the glass into various projects or use them in a zero waste option to store bulk buy foods and grains.
One thing to keep in mind with any recycling service you start for your community is the ease of use. As previously mentioned, the problem with current services is that the community as a whole may find them difficult to use or they may find that driving to a drop-off location is too time consuming. Instead, offer a pick-up service or convenient drop off point, like a local school or library. This will help boost your donations and your recycling efforts. If you don't have the means to recycle things on your own, work with a company like Binshoot Bin Hire to set up a regular recycling pickup for your community.