SAN JUAN COUNTY SOLID WASTE

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Story and photos by Sharon Kivisto

Plastic bottles are thrown into different bins. The aluminum cans continue down to a container at the end of this conveyor belt.

posted 05/05/04
In March, Friday Harbor High School students, community members and Solid Waste Advisory Committee toured Waste Management's materials recycling facility in Woodinville. They saw first hand what happens to aluminum cans, glass, plastic, paper and cardboard collected at the San Juan County Transfer stations on Orcas and San Juan Islands.

The recyclables are loaded onto conveyor belts and travel through a series of screens. A combination of mechanical means and human effort is used to separate the materials.

The materials are baled and sold. Glass is sold to Gallo Wines to be made into wine bottles. Much of the paper products end up going overseas.

Staff at the MRF stressed the importance of consumers purchasing products made from recycle materials. The viability of the recycling process depends on a market for the products.

Don't put plastic bags in with your recycling.

This is one part of a screen. Different sizes are used to separate different materials.

A sample of products made from recycled material.

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