Sustainable Natural Waste Management
March 07, 2017
Arlington County, Virginia’s Solid Waste Bureau handles a massive amount of yard waste each year, processing approximately 50,000 cubic yards of leaves alone. To handle these materials effectively, the county opened a new Earth Products Recycling Yard, which operates for residents of the country at no charge. The facility is designed to handle large amounts......
Trash to Treasure Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
March 07, 2017
One man’s trash is Lancaster County’s energy or recycled material. The county’s Solid Waste Management Authority has a diversion rate of 98%–less than 2% of trash collected ends up in a landfill. To accomplish this, the municipality employs a two-pronged approach: first, it minimizes the volume and toxicity of waste by concentrating on recycling and......
March 07, 2017
Minimizing waste is better for the environment and offers residual benefits from job creation to money savings. Boulder, Colorado took a bold step, committing to be a Zero Waste community (or “dam near”) by 2025. To jumpstart action, the Boulder City Council adopted stringent requirements for city residents, including requiring all business to separate recyclables......
Innovative Solutions for Outdated Waste Facilities
March 07, 2017
What becomes of a landfill once it is filled? Escambia County, Florida’s landfill was negatively affecting the community, both environmentally and aesthetically. The 23-acre complex was covered with Closure Turf, a cover system, which can last up to 100 years and is designed to contain waste, eliminate soil erosion, enhance gas collection, and increase slope......
Turning Food Waste into Renewable Energy
March 07, 2017
Each year, every American family throws out an average $640 worth of food. Much of it goes into landfills, decomposes, and turns into methane. Several cities have found new ways to convert leftovers into biogas to produce electricity. The City of Philadelphia mandated in-sink garbage disposals in all new construction in the hopes that residents......
