“Lincoln County Cardboard Recycling Skyrockets”
Cardboard recycling numbers for Lincoln County in 2007 are up an astonishing 56% over 2006, according to the Lincoln County Solid Waste Authority, the recycling organization for all of Lincoln County. In 2006, Lincoln County recycled 391 tons of cardboard, the 2nd largest component of its 13,500 ton overall solid waste stream. In 2007, recycling was up to 613.16 tons.
And the numbers this year threaten to eclipse 2007, with 388.25 tons already in the recycling pipeline. According to the Paper Industry Association Council, “Americans use enough cardboard every year to make a bale as big as a football field and as high as the [former] World Trade Center.” 500 tons was the Lincoln County cardboard goal two years ago. The actual 2008 collection could well exceed 1500 tons.
Yet, Lincoln County, particularly in its larger communities, still has a lot of unused cardboard recycling capacity. Bulky and heavy, cardboard is often the largest volume item in landfills. In 2003, paper products including cardboard made up 14% of American solid waste, with businesses generating the majority, estimated to be 30% of commercial solid waste. Americans generate more than 360 pounds of cardboard per person each year, at 35% of all waste, making up the single largest part of landfill dumping.
What is the economic impact of recycling cardboard? Over a year ago, dumping any kind of waste cost $275 per trip to haul up to 21 tons plus tipping fee of $13.90 per load at the landfill south of Alamogordo. Today, the cost of that same trip is more than $450 and fuel prices are rising weekly. Every ton of cardboard diverted away from landfill disposal saves nearly $500. While LCSWA incurs a small processing cost to prepare cardboard for pickup, recycling cardboard saves money and keeps fees to Lincoln and Otero County residents down.
The Paper Industry Association Council reported in 2008 that 56% of 54.3 million tons of paper including used corrugated cardboard was recovered nationally. That translates to 360 pounds per person in the United States. Although similar statistics aren’t available for Lincoln or Otero Counties, the percentage of recovered paper/cardboard locally continues to increase. The trade association estimates that 37% of fiber used to make new paper products including cardboard comes from recycling
The Lincoln/Otero County program accepts corrugated cardboard with no waxy painted or grease stained surfaces such as that found on fast food containers. Corrugated cardboard can be placed in any of the designated blue or tan ‘cardboard’ or the green multi-product recycling containers at drop-off locations throughout Lincoln and Otero Counties. Retail businesses and large institutions such as schools and medical facilities can have a cardboard recycling dumpster at their place of business for a monthly fee by calling 378-4697 (toll free at 1-877-548-8772) outside of Ruidoso or in the Village of Ruidoso, 257-1502.
Exchanging and using cardboard recycling dumpsters for trash dumpsters can reduce local business trash disposal costs since the LCSWA monthly fee for a cardboard recycling dumpster is less than the monthly fee for a trash dumpster. Dumpsters are picked up weekly.
Become a cardboard recycler. For more information about the cardboard recycling program in Lincoln County, contact the Authority office at 378-4697 or via email at lcswa@valornet.com. The most current recycling and solid waste disposal brochure for Lincoln and Otero counties is also available via email by request at www.lcswa.org.
Next week: Cardboard recycling locations in Lincoln and Otero Counties
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