Last updated 22 hours ago
Recycling is an important part of building a sustainable society. However, even avid recyclers may not understand how the entire process works. This video explains the recycling process from the blue bin to the factory.
How It’s Made guides viewers through every step of the recycling process. First, a home or business’ recycling is sorted into glass, plastic, and paper. Once these categories have been established, recycling workers begin digging through recycled materials to remove misplaced items and separate items into more specific categories. Reusable items are then broken down and rebuilt as new base materials.
Tiger Sanitation offers first-class garbage and recycling pick up service in San Antonio. Our large fleet of vehicles and great customer service make us the perfect solution to your home or business’ waste problem. Visit us online or call (210) 305-4759 to find out how we can help.
Last updated 7 days ago
Each year, the United States produces millions of tons of municipal solid waste. Unfortunately, only a third of that waste is recovered and recycled before being sent to landfills. This Environmental Protection Agency report from 2010 shows how many of those recyclable materials end up in landfills instead of with recycling pick up professionals.
- Paper: Paper and paperboard are the most commonly and effectively recycled materials across the nation. Of about 70 million tons of paper waste generated in 2010, only 25 million tons ended up in landfills, and an impressive 63% of paper materials were diverted from landfills.
- Plastics: While plastic is highly recyclable, only 8% of materials are recovered annually. That puts over 28 million tons of plastics into landfills each year. These numbers are particularly troubling because most plastic containers last in landfills forever.
- Metals: When it comes to metallic items, the recycling numbers are a mixed bag. Over 69% of steel and over 80% of aluminum materials generated in 2010 were sent to rust in a landfill. On the other hand, most other non-ferrous metals were diverted or recycled. In fact, over 70% of materials like nickel, copper, and brass find their way back into use.
- Glass: Less than 30% of glass materials were diverted from landfills in 2010. As a result, about 8 million tons of recyclable materials made their way into junkyards. This data is particularly disappointing because glass has near infinite potential for recycling—the wastefulness of tossing glass into landfills is immense.
You can do your part for the environment by working with Tiger Sanitation. All items collected from our convenient pickup and roll off services are properly sorted and recycled. Find out about recycling opportunities in your area by calling us at (210) 305-4759.
Last updated 14 days ago
Homeowners should keep certain items out of their trash bins. These items, if improperly disposed of, can cause big problems to the environment. This guide to potential contaminants shows why homeowners must do more than separate their trash and recycling.
- Old Batteries: Leak risks for batteries are minimal, but the acid is still very caustic—dangerous metallic chemicals are released into the environment when rechargeable cadmium-nickel batteries are broken. In addition, the lithium found in laptop and phone batteries is extremely volatile when mixed with moisture. Thankfully, the Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act has led to the rise of nationwide battery disposal sites. Electronic retailers like Radio Shack now serve as disposal sites to keep batteries out of the waste stream.
- Auto Waste: Like the acids in batteries, the chemicals found in car parts are huge threats to the environment. Engine oil, car battery fluids, and coolants contain numerous additives that are extremely corrosive to outdoor flora and water supplies. Car owners are encouraged to take leftover auto fluids to local auto shops or chain supply stores. You can call ahead to find out if these retailers accept and properly dispose of auto fluids. Municipal and city government websites regularly identify locations where citizens can safely dispose of car wastes.
- Aerosol Cans: The waste cycle is not kind to aerosol cans—the weight of other trash particles or compactors is more than enough to cause these gas-filled containers to explode. Similarly, sufficient heat can cause the gases within an aerosol can to expand and rupture the can. That’s why it’s essential to keep these household products out of the garbage can. Instead, find out where your city hosts a Household Hazardous Waste Collection site.
When it comes to waste disposal, Tiger Sanitation makes it easy. Call (210) 305-4759 to find out how our fleet of trucks can make your next trash day a cinch.
Last updated 22 days ago
Properly managing waste can be a huge challenge. Disposing of large amounts of trash and sufficiently sorting recyclables tacks on extra hours to any spring cleaning project. One call to Tiger Sanitation at (210) 305-4759 solves these waste pick-up problems.
