The Spooky Truth about Candy Wrappers

How to recycle candy wrappers after Halloween…when they AREN’T Single Stream recyclable

Tis the season for the ghosts and ghouls to come a-knocking-and they’re all looking for candy! Halloween is a fun holiday whether you are a trick-or-treater, or handing out goodies at your door, but however you celebrate one thing is for sure-at the end of the night you are left with a big pile of candy wrappers. The scary thing is….they are NOT Single Stream recyclable!

(*For those of you who subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter, this may sound familiar, but read on, I have included some extra goodies for the blog!)
 
As many of you know, candy wrappers, (as well as wrappers for many common snacks such as energy bars, mini muffins and chips) are not acceptable with your single stream recycling. They are considered contaminants and cannot be processed at our recycling processing facility, The American Recycling Center.

This is disheartening considering how prevalent these goodies are, but fear not, wrappers CAN be recycled.

Terracycle® and Upcycling

Much like plastic bags, which are also a contaminant and must be brought to drop off locations in order to be recycled, wrappers too have their own special process they must go through in order to be made into new goods. You can begin the process of recycling your wrappers by contacting Terracycle.

 

Terracycle is a company that provides free collection programs for hard to recycle materials which they then turn into affordable green products. In addition to recycling these materials, Terracycle also uses upcycling to create new goods.

Upcycling means the materials are re-used to make new things without disturbing their original form. For example: sewing potato chip bags together to create an eye-catching backpack or purse.

 

On the contrary, recycling means melting a product down until it is unrecognizable, then using that raw material to create another product, like creating park benches or composite timber from melted down plastic bags and films.

 

Upcycling at Home

You can even upcycle your waste at home! Upcycling your own wrappers after Halloween is not only thrifty and environmentally friendly, but it can also provide you with countless fun projects!

Here are some ideas for products you can create at home with hard to recycle goods, like those numerous candy wrappers. (*Just click on the caption for the full tutorial!)

Wrapper Bracelet

Wrapper Pouch

Wrapper Coasters

Wrapper Origami

Wrapper Tote
  

To Wrap it Up...

Whether you send your wrappers in to collection companies, like Terracycle, or use them at home to make your own funky new goods, we hope you will think twice before throwing these items in the trash. Remember, while not all items are Single Stream recyclable, almost all man made products can be upcycled or recycled in some way, it’s just a matter of getting creative and utilizing great free collection services like Terracycle. 

Happy Halloween and Thanks for reading!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

Tours at the American Recycling Center

It’s only been four months since the American Recycling Center and attached Interactive Learning Center had its grand opening in April. In that short time over 200 people have come to take a tour and learn about recycling and where their recyclables go when they get to our facility.

Tours are held every Tuesday at 10am and led by American employees who are well versed in our ThinkBeforeYouThrow® recycling program, as well as how the facility’s sorting equipment works.

The purpose of the tours is to educate the community about recycling, how items are recycled and most importantly why we should all recycle.

Individuals and groups from all walks of life have taken the tour. From powerful corporate industry leaders to college students, families, presidents of Home Owners Associations, boy scout troops and everything in between. 

 

 

 

 

 

We recently even hosted a tour for two very important politicians; Cory Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, and a special guest: Virginia State Senate hopeful and former White House Counselor, Ed Gillespie. 

 

Corey A. Stewart

 

Ed Gillespie

Chairman Stewart helped the American Recycling Center open its doors earlier this year, as he was an influential person in the creation of the Prince William based center and also acted as keynote speaker at the facility’s grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony.

Knowing the importance that recycling has made on the local Prince William economy and sustainable initiatives, Chairman Stewart reached out to ADS and requested a special tour for US State Senate hopeful, Ed Gillespie.

On August 15, 2014 the American Recycling Center was honored to welcome these two influential political figures to the facility and guide them in a private tour, led by our plant manager. They were able to see the inner workings of the facility, learn about the many stages of recycling processing and further their understanding of the important impact recycling can have on a local market.

American has been overjoyed with the out pour of interest and support the facility and interactive learning center has inspired in our community. If you have yet to schedule a tour, you can sign up by clicking here.

Now that classes have resumed for the fall, we hope that we will be receiving tour requests from schools, looking to come visit the American Recycling Center as an interactive and educational field trip.

All members of the community are always welcome and encouraged to come indulge their curiosities and expand their understanding of the recycling process.  

 

 

The more tours we host, the more people will be informed, educated and entertained by the recycling process. It is our hope that they take this information home,  spread the word to their friends and neighbors and start putting best  recycling practices to good (or better) use; all the while seeing up close just how unique American Disposal Services truly is!

 

We hope to see you soon, and as always, thanks for reading!

 

Just in Time for July 4th: How to Retire an American Flag

 

The 4th of July is right around the corner, and as we look forward to barbecues and fireworks, we will no doubt be producing more trash and recycling.

 

But when we think of items that we regularly throw away or recycle, the American Flag doesn’t often come to mind. That’s because we hang them proudly and the thought of throwing them in the garbage bin (or even the recycling bin) would feel unpatriotic. But many of us know it is far worse to hang a tattered or damaged flag then to dispose of it-properly.

 

But what if you find yourself and your flag in that situation? What IS the proper and respectful way to dispose of an American Flag?

First, let’s define what an official American flag is:

The U.S. Flag consists of a blue rectangle bearing 50 white stars (representing each state)  and 13 alternating red and white stripes (representing the 13 original colonies).

 

This is common knowledge to most of us, but we just wanted to assure you that the following disposal methods are only required for official American Flags. (Flag patterned bandanas and board shorts need not apply, even in July).

If you are a subscriber of our monthly e-newsletter, and read the July Issue,  much of the content in this post will sound familiar, but just in case you can’t check it out, read on for some important (and surprising) facts about how to retire Old Glory when it is faded, tattered or torn.

There are many ways to properly dispose of an American flag, including:
 

Ceremonial Flag Burning

Before you gasp at the thought (as I did before I read on in my research on this topic) According to Wikipedia, this method of burning is in no way haphazard or unpatriotic, rather it requires a specific ceremony, where the flag is folded (correctly,) laid on a bonfire and burned patriotically; while being saluted, or having someone at the burning ceremony recite the Pledge of Allegiance or sing the National Anthem.

 

 

 

 

This process is used mainly for individuals retiring their personal flags, at home. But what if you don’t feel comfortable burning your flag on your own? What if you don’t know how to properly fold a flag? (You can find that out here by the way) Or more logically…what if you simply can’t build a fire on your property? Another option is…

 

Flag Burial

 

To bury the flag, begin by finding a dignified wooden box - it should be of good quality and construction, as this box will serve as the flag's vessel as it is interred in the ground.

 

Fold the flag correctly and respectfully, place it in the box and then bury it in the ground.

 

You may even consider giving a your flag short "funeral". Give a speech on the importance of the flag then stand at attention as the flag is lowered into the ground. Observe a moment of silence as the flag is buried. You may even choose to mark the burial location with a small, patriotic marker.

 

Flag Shredding

You may also shred your flag. Shredding an American flag may seem violent but the US Army's Heraldry institute assures that shredding is an acceptable disposal method, provided it is done with reverence.

Use a sharp scissors to slowly and accurately separate the thirteen stripes, leaving the blue star-spangled field intact.

 

After the flag is cut into pieces, place it in a respectful receptacle and bury it following the above procedures or ceremoniously burn the pieces one by one, starting with the stripes and ending with the blue field.

 

 

Flag Recycling
 

When the code for American Flag disposal was written, almost all flags were made of cloth or other natural fabrics. But today many flags are made from nylon, polyester, or artificial materials.

 

When burned, these modern materials produce toxic fumes that are harmful to the environment and your health. Be sure to check the material of your flag before you make the choice between burning or recycling.

Many Non Profit and Private organizations have been formed to recycle flags. Contact a group like American Flag Recycling or contact your local landfill or recycling processor for more information.

 

Give your  Flag to a Qualified Organization
 

Specific United States government organizations offer services to conduct the ceremony to properly dispose of flags for no charge, upon request.

The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Boy and Girl Scouts of America and the US Military all provide this service. If you don't have access to any of these organizations, contact your city hall or local government.

 

 

A New Local Option

Here in Prince William County, we now have a new, convenient and respectful option for disposing of (or recycling) our flags.

On June 14th, Flag Day, the new American Flag Collection Center officially opened at the Prince William County Landfill, allowing residents to dispose of their retired American Flags the right way.

The center is a combined effort of the Boy Scouts of America Occoquan and Bull Run Districts, the Prince William County Solid Waste Division and Keep Prince William Beautiful.

Flags that are dropped off at the center will be picked up by Boy Scout troops and given to organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion, for disposal. These organizations are experienced in flag disposal and flag retirement ceremonies.

Boy Scouts will be at the collection center every second and fourth Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. They will instruct visitors who want to drop off their flags in person on the proper way to fold their flags for retirement (and disposal) as well as answer questions about the history and care of American Flags.

 

Recyclable, nylon flags will be sent to groups that specialize in recycling American flags where they will be ceremonially decommissioned then recycled through a process that converts the flag back into virgin grade nylon material to be used to make a new, recycled American flag!

The collection center will be open during normal landfill hours and flags can be dropped off at no cost, but donations are being accepted to fund this program.

If you are interested in funding this important program by making a donation, visit the Keep Prince William Beautiful website, (www.kpwb.org) and note that the donation is for the Flag Collection Center.

For more information, contact Boy Scout leader and overseer of the center, David Byrne at pwcflagcollection@gmail.com

 

I hope you all have a safe and happy July 4th, and as always...

Thanks for Reading!

National Garbage Man Day: Why we appreciate our dedicated and hardworking garbage and recycling men (and women) SO MUCH, and why you should too!

June 17th is National Garbage Man Day and American would like to take a moment to introduce you to “our guys” as we lovingly refer to them in the American family.

Do you know your garbage man? It’s ok if you don’t. When we’re rushing around in the morning on our way to a hectic day at work the man picking up our trash and recycling is usually the last thing on our mind.

Yet every week they are there, they come to your house and empty those bins at the curb. However, that is only a TINY fraction of what these incredible men do every day: rain or shine, heat or snow, and often times with no recognition.

I have personally met all 348 of our “Garbage Men” and I can tell you: they are some of the hardest working, most dedicated people I’ve ever met.

This blog is in praise of those men. It’s our way of introducing you, and telling you about all the amazing things they do for American, for you, but most of all; why we appreciate them so much. There is no better day to sing their praises, then on National Garbage Man Day.

 

 

The Facts: AKA: What our guys do EVERY DAY

They get up (REALLY) early:

A garbage/recycling man’s day starts in the middle of the night. Commercial drivers often start their route before 2am.

Depending on the length and difficulty of their route, some work surprisingly long days and once they return home to their families they often have to go straight to bed in order to get up that early the next day too.

And that work cycle….repeats, repeats, repeats.

They work (REALLY HARD) in ALL the Seasons:

Picking up and dumping trash bins over and over for hours every day is physically taxing to say the LEAST, but when you throw extreme temperatures into the mix it becomes even more dangerous.

In the summer, the guys have to stay constantly hydrated in order to avoid heatstroke (a VERY serious risk for them in the hot months) and in the winter, they must be sure to take precautions to avoid frostbite (a VERY serious risk in the cold months).

Risky Business…AKA:  It’s a Dangerous Job

If you look up the 10 most dangerous jobs in America, you will ALWAYS find refuse and recycling collectors on there.

The profession has been as high as #3 in the past, and it is currently #6 according to Time magazine’s 2014 article: These Are the Top 10 Most Dangerous Jobs in the U.S.

If you don’t believe me, go back and read that last section, then add this to the mix: According to the above Time article, Hazardous Material, Heavy Equipment, and Road Incidents are the top reason this career makes the list every year.

Speaking of that "Most Dangerous" list: Refuse and Recycling Collectors beat out Construction Workers, Truck Drivers (yes, even ICE road truck drivers), Farm Workers and Powerline Installers-
All just to pick up your trash.

 ‘Ride Alongs'

Yes, I’ve ridden on the back of a trash truck. EVERY SINGLE ONE of American employees have. They are called “Ride Alongs” and they are required in our training when we are hired here at American.

It is vitally important to our owners (who started as “Garbage Men” themselves) that we all experience what our guys do, first hand. Not only so we get a better understanding of how each aspect of the company works, but also so we fully appreciate how hard these men work and really understand what they do.

Every employee goes on not one, not two, but THREE "Ride Alongs": One Rear Load (Residential) one Front Load (Commercial) and one Roll-off.

That means each and every one of us (from dispatch, to accounting to managers and directors) has gotten up in the middle of the night, came to the office, and hopped in a trash truck alongside the driver-and stayed with them for their entire day.

These "Ride Alongs" are an enlightening, and awe inspiring experience. I kept a journal during my three days, and although we do not participate in the actual LABOR on the Ride Alongs (driving the truck, picking up the bins etc.) I was honestly exhausted after just those three days.


It boggled my mind how these men could do this day in and day out, and still greet me with a smile every time I saw them coming back to the office at the end of the day.

The Ride Along experience forever changed my perception - I understood why it was so important that we all participate in the Ride Alongs, and to this day I respect and admire “our guys”,  as well as ALL refuse and recycling collection workers, more than most of the people I’ve ever met.

 

BBQs & Pizza Parties

 

So how do we show all our appreciation?  The third Thursday of every month, American employees host a BBQ (in the summer months) or Pizza Party for “our guys.”

Volunteers from every department get on the grills (in the summer), set out the coleslaw, cookies, Gatorades and chips; or Pizza (in the autumn and winter when it’s too cold outside for the grill), and serve them food all day long. 

 
Weather they are between routes, or coming back to the office when they are done, they are free to come and go as many times as they like. It’s our small gift to show them that they are appreciated. Without our American “garbage men” there would be NO American, it’s as simple as that.
 

 

 

So the next time you see the American truck picking up your trash or recycling be sure to say hi to the incredibly dedicated and hardworking men in the truck, and thank them for all that they do!

 

As always, thanks for reading!

 

American Behind the (Green) Scenes....AGAIN!

Last November we posted a blog entitled: American....Behind the (Green) Scenes. In the post, we included a link to the PDF of our internal monthly newsletter, The Daily Dumpster.

It was our way of sharing OUR family with yours…..giving you a backstage pass; an insider’s view; a true window into the work we ALL do here, every day, at American Disposal and Recycling.  

Well, we have decided to do it again!

American is a family and with so many exciting events and announcements covered in this issue (both professional and personal) we thought it was time to bring the family together once again, the WHOLE family-that means you guys too!

At American, all our customers ARE family. But even if you are simply a fan of this blog, a passionate environmentalist, or just happen to run across this post; we welcome YOU to read this exciting issue as well!

Click the link below to view the May issue of The Daily Dumpster.

We truly hope it lets you see the American family through our own eyes…..again. J

Enjoy!

The Daily Dumpster-May 2014

 

From our family to yours, thanks for reading!

American Proudly Sponsors The Dave Harris Memorial Billfish Tournament, Partnered with Wounded Warriors in Action

All of us here at American Disposal and Recycling are committed to supporting the men and women who dedicate, risk and sacrifice their lives to protect the liberties that make America truly the land of the free and the home of the brave.

This year, we were able to contribute to that cause and say ‘Thank You’ to some of those inspiring individuals. The Dave Harris Memorial Billfish Tournament, an annual charity billfishing tournament, partnered with Wounded Warriors in Action, a national non-profit organization dedicated to serving our nation's combat wounded, Purple Heart recipients by providing world-class outdoor sporting activities. American was proud to do our part in sponsoring the event.

 
The tournament was started in the 80s as a family trip for the Harris family, which grew incrementally over the years to include friends and members of the community.

Formerly known as the “Cinco de Mayo Billfish Tournament”; the Harris family changed the name in 2008 after they lost their beloved brother, Dave Harris, to melanoma and renamed the tournament to honor his memory.

 

 

Organizers of The Dave Harris Memorial Billfish Tournament reached out to Wounded Warriors in Action, who normally only facilitates 40 outings per year. They gladly agreed to make it 41 this year to accommodate the tournament, so these brave veterans could have the chance to take part in the exciting event.

 

The veterans in attendance this year included Justin Constantine, who was shot in the head by a sniper while on a combat patrol in Iraq; Gabe Martinez, who lost both legs after stepping on an IED on his 2nd deployment in Afghanistan; Arthur Rizer, who suffered a traumatic brain injury from an IED explosion while embedded with Iraqi Special Forces and Raymond Kusch, who lost his left leg to an IED. Raymond is still recovering at Walter Reed in Bethesda.

 

 

 

These brave wounded warriors were also joined by a representative of the American family as well; one of the founders of our GreenStream program, Mark O’Brien, who described the tournament as inspiring. “It’s healing for them and beneficial for us to see that and say, ‘You know what, I have no room to complain.’”

American Disposal was honored to sponsor this inspiring event; the sponsorship included full accommodations of the trip and tournament for one of these brave and selfless warriors.

Read more about this year's tournament in an article from the Fairfax Times at www.fairfaxtimes.com

 

As we approach Memorial Day, we wanted to take a moment to thank these brave veterans; as well as all our veterans, and all those who have fallen; for their service to our Country and for upholding the freedom that makes it possible for small family owned companies such as our own, to have the ability and honor to touch so many lives in the community, through events such as this one.

 

Happy Memorial Day!

And as always,

Thanks for Reading!

 

 

American Welcomes 'The American Recycling Center' and 'Interactive Learning Center'

 

'Curb to Commodity' ...That's what we call it here at American: The journey your recyclables take  from the moment they leave your curb until they are sorted, baled and then shipped all over the world to make new, recycled goods.....

Well, now American is now playing an even bigger part in that journey as we welcome our state of the art recycling processing facility The American Recycling Center, as well as the attached Interactive Learning Center.

The American Recycling Center is American's new Single Stream Recycling Processing Facility, located here in Prince William County. 

This Recycling Center saves over 1 million kilowatts of energy …per DAY.

That’s enough energy to drive a car almost 400,000 MILES and enough energy to power a house for over 100 YEARS….
 

And yes, I did say-per DAY.

 

 

 We held a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Grand Opening on April 23rd, just in time to wrap up earth month and celebrate the environmental strides American is making by unveiling the Recycling Center and Interactive Learning Center to the community.

 

 

 

 

It was my honor to be the Master of Ceremonies.

 

 

 

 

 

Our distinguished speakers included  Corey A. Stewart, Chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors; American Disposal Services General Manager, Kevin Edwards and  Kiliaen Anderson, the Director of Keep Prince William Beautiful.

 

Topics of the inspiring speeches included the positive impact the American Recycling Center will have on the environment as well as the valuable recycling and environmental education now available to the community, at our attached Interactive Learning Center.

 

 

 

Chairman Corey A. Stewart

(cracking us all up after a joke about the weather being "so cold that politicians had their hands in their OWN pockets")

American Disposal Services General Manager, Kevin Edwards

Director of Keep Prince William Beautiful, Kiliaen Anderson 

 

Tom Smith, Prince William County Solid Waste Division Chief, also presented American Disposal Services with a congratulatory award on behalf of Prince William County, Department of Public Works, Solid Waste Division. The award was presented as a recognition and thank you for American’s commitment to waste reduction in Prince William County and is made from 100% recycled glass.

 

 

 

Tom Smith, Prince William County Solid Waste Division Chief presenting Kevin Edwards with the recycled glass award

 

 

After Chairman Stewart and American Disposal Services owners Paul Coury and Larry Edwards cut the ribbon, the doors to the Interactive Learning Center were officially opened to the public and tours of the processing facility were offered to guests.

 

 

American Disposal Services owners Larry Edwards (left), Paul Coury (right) and Chairman Corey A. Stewart officially cutting the ribbon for the American Recycling Center and Interactive Learning Center! 

 

 

A guest of the Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening snaps a photo of the Interactive Learning Center

 

 

 

Guests attending personal guided tours of the American Recycling Center

 

Check out this short News Video, produced by Prince William County featured on "The Buzz"

The Buzz: American Recycling Center and Interactive Learning Center

 

 

To schedule a tour of The American Recycling Center and Interactive Learning Center click the link below.

Schedule a Visit!

 

 

 

 

     As always.... 

Thanks for Reading!