studioTECHNE’s Recycling Guide

Halfway between the coasts of of California and Hawaii, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the world's largest plastic accumulation zone floats on - seemingly forever. As single-use items have evolved into a ubiquitous aspect of our transactional society, we don’t have to look far to understand that it adversely affects our own waterways right here in Northeast Ohio too.

Consume. Toss. Repeat.

Do we ever pause to consider where this waste goes? studioTECHNE believes we have the responsibility to approach design through an environmentally conscious lens and should also be good stewards of the natural environment in our daily lives. We tie our eco-friendly capes, shout “by our powers combined” and heave as many things as possible into recycling bins – swelling with pride that we are saving the planet one plastic yogurt cup at a time. Do we know what happens? Are the items we recycle making it into the post-consumer cycle? Despite our best efforts, recycled items often end up in landfills polluting our natural environment. 
Ideally, each of us would avoid single-use items altogether; however, their pervasiveness makes it inevitable that we will throw something away. Recycling guidelines vary across municipalities, making it confusing. To help, we’ve gathered information from Cuyahoga Recycles to explain where trash goes and best practices to remember next time you find yourself and your yogurt cup playing waste bin - recycle bin roulette.

Aspirational Recycling

Aspirational Recycling occurs when we toss materials in the recycling bin that are not actually recyclable, believing the recycling gnomes at recycling centers magically remove these items; surprisingly, gnomes are often gnoming around. Upon arrival, items are herded through a system of conveyor belts and “sorted” by automated machinery. Once enough of a single material (like plastic or glass) is collected, it is compressed into a block or bale weighing roughly 1500 pounds. Third party companies purchase the bales and convert them into new products. This process seems straightforward; however, the misguided judgements of aspirational recycling pose unforeseen challenges. 

What happens to streams of recycling waste that are contaminated? In recent years, consumers of recycled materials have begun to reject shipments containing more than 0.5% of non-recyclable items – tragically deeming entire streams useless and destined for landfills. The tedious labor of sorting through unwanted items is a steep expenditure in the process of converting recyclable materials into new products.

So, What Should Be Recycled?

According to Cuyahoga Recycles, aluminum cups, cans, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, paper, boxes, and plastic bottles and jugs are recyclable in all communities across the county. Many items can be recycled, reused, or donated elsewhere including appliances, clothing, electronics, construction materials, holiday lights, plastic bags, scrap metal, tires, shredded paper, etc. Though we’d all like to recycle as much as possible, remember that takeout containers and utensils, styrofoam, plastic hangers, hoses, ropes, and broken ceramics do not belong in your recycling bin. Ensure that the items you set aside for curbside recycling are clean and empty; and if necessary, rinse any residue that might be left behind. It’s also important to remember to make sure that paper and cardboard items are flattened and dry – greasy pizza boxes can’t be recycled. Lastly, it’s best to leave your recyclables loose (not bagged), as plastic bags can become entangled in the sorting machinery and cause additional complexities for the recycling process.

IIDA zero landfill

For our peers in the design industry, do you have unused or outdated samples in your material library? Consider participating in IIDA’s ZeroLandfill program to help divert unused materials from landfill and to be repurposed in our community. Additionally, studies suggest that annual construction demolition and debris amounts to roughly 160 million tons of waste in the United States alone. The demolition of existing structures often involves implosions and wrecking balls, where much of the material is reduced to rubble. Deconstruction is a more careful process of selectively dismantling a structure with the goal of salvaging valuable architectural materials to resell, reuse, or recycle. We now have a clear understanding of the energy involved in the production of building materials from raw material extraction, manufacturing, shipping, and installation. Deconstruction offers an opportunity to lower the demand for new materials, effectively reducing the consumption of energy and raw materials. Fortunately, several businesses across the Northeast Ohio region offer deconstruction services leading to a more sustainable construction process.

Out of sight can’t be out of mind.

Tossing items into the wrong bin may seem inconsequential, but it’s important to remember our waste disposal mistakes will have a lasting impact. We encourage you to remember these guidelines, gnomes should be gnoming and not dodging around our trash. Head to www.cuyahogarecycles.org where they have a “What Do I Do With” search bar and a full list of companies and organizations that accept donations.