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The State of Recycling
The State of Recycling
We’ve been asked out in the community: What happened to Styrofoam recycling?! Here’s the short answer!
In community feedback meetings we had held, we heard that EPS recycling was very important to our community. We booted up our volunteer powered program. While in operation, we also asked the City to consider adding this service to the City contract with our local hauler, Republic Services.
Expanded polystyrene (EPS, commonly known as the brand-name, Styrofoam) turns out to be tricky to recycle. A major factor, and boy, did we face it, is that this is an extremely lightweight, bulky material. Also, not unrelated, there are extremely few recycling facilities in operation, and mixed reviews on the net environmental benefit of each facility’s particular materials processing approach. Lengthy transport distances for a very small amount of material by mass makes for high cost and inefficiency.
Republic presented their report and findings on EPS recycling to the Environmental Management Committee in 2023. The committee was presented with an offer and discussed the option to add this service. Given several factors, that committee did not recommend the City to add this service to their contract with Republic.
One major factor was that Oregon had recently passed its Extended Producer Responsibility act, which would within a few years’ time result in an influx of grant money for recycling facility expansion. The City and Republic Services worked together to get in on the first grant funding opportunity. Today, the act has an approved plan, and the first of many expanded recycling facilities across Oregon recently came online in Southern Oregon. (Have asked City/Republic for an update on the status of our application; will add if received in time, otherwise, post to website without a final line.)
Previous Successes:
Previous Successes:
June 2020 - 2023 Styrofoam collection at the Farmer's Market (collecting two-four truckloads a month)
Volunteer involvement at the Farmer's Market, drivers & informational hosts at the table
Volunteer web-site development, Mike Ashland for initial development
Collaboration with Marion County's Master Recycling Program, promoting best practices for recycling, engaging knowledgeable volunteers at our table
Winter 2021-Volunteer local arborist collaborates with us at the Farmer's Market, for a free-baby-oak's give-away after the February 12th Ice Storm. He also worked with the Silverton School District and organized a community "Tree Planting" event at Mark Twain School
Spring 2021- Beyond Bins Community Initiative, to promote awareness of what we already do to promote a healthy environment, to involve businesses in an collaborative effort to be involved with local, eco-friendly products, and also to reward community participation in the Beyond Bins Bingo activity, by their donation of gifts.
Summer 2021 - Community Survey to engage Silvertonians in conversation regarding environmental "quality of life" concerns in Silverton.
Summer 2021- Volunteer for Web-site Development, continued by Darrel Smith, includes City Energy Goals and documents, and energy data and articles.
Fall 2021 - Volunteer for Informational Newsletter, with a graphic artist background and a Sustainability Master's Degree.
Winter 2022 - A Willamette University Intern, collecting data from surveys and connecting volunteers with community projects through SSCoalition, researching regional resources to inform community.
Winter 2022 -Collaboration with the Pudding River Watershed Council at the Farmer's Market for a "Native Plant Give-Away" Over two-hundred shrubs and trees were donated to the community.
Spring 2022- 200 Native Plants "Give Away", Dogwood & Salmon Berry plants donated by Pudding River River at the Farmer's Market.
Contact Action Team Leader: Kelley Morehouse for more information on Reuse, Repair, Recycle and volunteering! email sustainablesilverton@gmail.com
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