Recycling

The most effective way to reduce waste in our community is to not create it in the first place. By reducing and reusing, we as consumers can save natural resources and help keep the cost of waste removal down. The amount of waste that each person creates has increased from 2.7 pounds a day in 1960 to 4.7 pounds a day in 2010.

If you are aware of the need to save resources and to reuse products then you are well on the road to recycling. The following facts about paper waste are alarming:

• An average American uses 650 pounds of paper each year.
• The U.S. uses 25% of the Worlds paper products.
• 40% of all waste going to Landfills is paper.
• For every ton of paper recycled we save the following natural resources:
  • 17 Trees
  • 275 pounds of Sulfur
  • 3.3 Cubic Yards of landfill space
  • 350 pounds of Limestone
  • 60,000 Gallons of Water

Recycling paper products is just the beginning. Did you know that it takes 1,000 years for a plastic bag to dissolve in the environment, and we as Americans throw away approximately 200 million per year? This is one example of an item that we do not recycle at the center but our local groceries and department stores are helping out with bins for collection.

The Richmond/Madison Recycling Center is located at 550 Recycle Drive in Richmond. We have 3 recycling programs, the free curb side pick-up for residents and businesses, the free cardboard pick up for businesses, and the 24 Hour Drop off program for all Madison County residents. Please visit the center during business hours for a brochure on now to recycle.

We are eager to help our community and our environment by recycling and understand that it is essential in conserving our Earth's resources. Recycling is essential so that our future generations will have enough of all that nature as to offer.