The Celebrate America Recycles Day with the SWA event will look a little different this year. Covid is prohibiting onsite tours, facility visits, and the shred event. But we will have a weeklong wander into the wonderful world of waste – through video.
Each day of the week leading up to America Recycle Day (Nov 15), the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County will spotlight waste topics including:
- Monday, Nov. 9 – Recycle Right! Kick off your celebration of America Recycles Day by going behind the scenes to see what happens to Palm Beach County’s recycling.
- Tuesday, Nov. 10 – Home Chemical and Recycling Center – What dangers might be lurking in your home? Find out and discover how to drop them off.
- Wednesday, Nov. 11 – Heavy Equipment Showcase – Get up close and personal with some of the loaders, dozers and cranes used to move 17 million pounds of garbage and recyclables each day.
- Thursday, Nov. 12 – Trekking Through the Trails – Check out the newly-installed signs on the SWA’s Rookery Trail and discover what animals you may see while exploring the SWA Greenway Trail System.
- Friday, Nov. 13 – SWA Green Schools Awards – The winners of the SWA Green School Awards will showcase the innovative ways Palm Beach County schools Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rethink their waste! AND Beyond the Bin - The SWA is not the only stop in town for recycling! Join us to find out where else in the community you can take some of your recycling.
- Saturday, Nov. 14 – Are you ready to celebrate? Get ready for America Recycles Day by taking our Recycling Myths Quiz!
- Sunday, Nov. 15 - America Recycles Day! Tune in to congratulate the creative conservationists crowned as winners in the 2020 SWA America Recycles Day Coloring Contest! AND Virtual Volunteer Program. Be a part of the kick off of the SWA’s Virtual Volunteer Program with a composting worm bin DIY project.
All daily programs will be Premiered on the SWA’s Facebook page, posted to the SWA’s Twitter and LinkedIn pages, and posted to the SWA event webpage.
Last fiscal year, the SWA sold these commodities (in tons) for recycling:
- Mixed Paper – 30,109
- Glass – 22,063
- Cardboard – 17,512
- PET – 4,627 (i.e. water bottles)
- Aluminum Cans – 1,010
- HDPE Natural – 852 (i.e. clear/white milk jugs)
- HDPE Colored – 968 (i.e. laundry detergent bottles)
- Mixed Plastics - 171
- Aseptic Containers - 52
And the SWA recycled or safely disposed of more than 4.1M pounds of home chemicals, including:
- Latex Paint, disposed – 2,114,419
- Electronics – 885,255
- Used Oil – 451,213
- Fuels/solvents – 119,096
- Alkyd Paint – 89,338
- Cylinders – 82,161
- Batteries, lead acid – 81,933
- Corrosives – 60,328
- Pesticides and Poisons – 45,902
- Fluorescent Lamps – 41,062
- Cooking Oil – 40,845
- Aerosols - 32,140
- Antifreeze recycled – 28,430
- Latex Paint, recycled – 19,276
- Used Oil Filters – 15,800
- Other Hazardous – 7,375
- Flags – 3,000
- Flares and Ammo – 967
- Oxidizers and Reactives – 837
- Mercury and Articles – 117
America Recycles Day, a program of Keep America Beautiful, is a nationally-recognized day dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the United States. Every year on or around Nov. 15 (America Recycles Day) event organizers educate neighbors, friends and colleagues through thousands of events nationwide.
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