Sedona Recycles Inc.

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SEDONA RECYCLES NOW ACCEPTING PLASTICS 1-7

Plastics 1-7 waiting to be bailed.

Sedona Recycles, Inc., is proud to announce that plastics #1-7 will now be accepted at all its recycling locations. Plastic items that are now accepted include: yogurt/cottage cheese tubs and lids, meat and produce polystyrene trays, fruit and vegetable clamshell containers, condiment containers, to-go containers, drinking cups, nursery pots, kitchen storage containers, prescription bottles, frozen meal trays, newspaper delivery bags, CD and cassette tape cases, and any other plastic with a number. SRI will not accept plastics without numbers such as film-plastic packaging and block Styrofoam packaging. Additionally, plastic grocery bags should still be taken to local grocery stores for recycling.

Until now, SRI accepted only bottle-shaped plastics #1 and #2, due to the lack of a reliable market for other plastics. While recycling of #1 and #2 plastics was better than nothing, these items comprise only a fraction of the plastics that consumers encounter in the marketplace.

What is the difference between these plastics?

Beverage containers and other containers with bottlenecks are "blow-molded," whereas other container shapes are "injection-molded." In addition to these differences in processing, the additives used in manufacturing prevent the mixing of plastics during recycling. In order to distinguish between plastics, manufacturers adopted a system of differentiation using resin codes. These codes, numbers that can be found inside the chasing arrows symbol on most plastic items, denote the type of plastic resin used in manufacturing.

Over the past two weeks, SRI conducted a pilot program to determine the quality of #3-7 plastics received. After receiving approval from Super Link Plastic, Inc., the buyer of all plastics from SRI, Sedona Recycles decided to begin accepting all numbered plastics. The decision was not an easy one to make. Plastic is much more difficult to recycle than aluminum, glass, or paper, and can typically be recycled only once before heading to a landfill or becoming an end-use product such as polyfleece clothing, carpet, plastic lumber, or toys. So should we still recycle plastic? Absolutely! It is nearly impossible to avoid these plastics altogether, so it is best to act as a responsible consumer and avoid products that are excessively or unnecessarily packaged and recycle the rest!


Zero Waste Workshop a Huge Success!

On Saturday, June 21, Sedona Recycles and Keep Sedona Beautiful hosted a Zero Waste Workshop as part of the KSB Environmental Issues Workshop Series.

Sedona Recycles Executive Director Jill McCutcheon spoke to attendees about the importance of "thinking beyond the bin" when purchasing and disposing of items. McCutcheon urged attendees to ask the following questions when purchasing an item: Was the item manufactured responsibly, locally, and/or using post-consumer materials? Can the item be reused, repaired, or donated? Will the item be disposed of properly, locally, or recycled into another item? McCutcheon also encouraged attendees to speak up and contact manufacturers, retailers, waste haulers, and government officials to ensure that products are responsibly manufactured and disposed of.

Those in attendance were treated to a tour of the Sedona Recycles facility, including a demonstration of the materials sorting line and the materials baler.

The free workshop was made possible by a grant to Keep Sedona Beautiful from the Sedona Community Foundation.

 

Recreational Art

Though most of us recycle our goods by cleaning, sorting, then dropping off materials into recycle bins, there are a few who have taken it to the next level. Rather than sending recyclables to facilities like Sedona Recycles, Inc., some entrepreneurs go as far as collecting it. Glass, cardboard, paper, metal, and other materials have become commodities for many individuals and corporations around the world. But what are these extreme recyclers doing with the materials they collect? The answer is: creating art.

Jerome is home to Shawn Fletcher, a glass artist who creates unique artwork out of recycled bottles. For over a year, Shawn has been working in the Verde Valley gathering wine bottles and burning them into incredible plates, sushi trays, and bowls. Another project that Shawn recently took up with David Woof, another resident artist, is the creation of recycled glass tile. The project is in its beginning stages, but recycled glass tile could one day be common in houses throughout the valley. Shawn’s bottle art can be found in Sedona at Indulge, a shop in the Hillside shopping center. In Cottonwood, look for the bottles at the Artist’s Eye Gallery, in Page Springs you can visit Page Springs Cellars, and in Jerome, Shawn can be found at the Art Park on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Also, under construction is his website: www.elementsofsedona.com.

Another local glass artist is Christy Fisher whose art is also featured in Jerome. She makes necklaces, bracelets, and other fine jewelry out of recycled glass. Her art can be found around the world, but locally you can find her in Sedona at Eisenart Innovations in Tlaquepaque or in Jerome at Laughing Mountain Gallery and Magdalena’s Bazaar.

Another form of recycled art is metal sculpture. Metal sculpture has grown into a small industry that provides fun, beautiful, and creative art to those who appreciate it. Using everything from drill bits to bicycle chains to automotive parts, artists can create some unique and incredible art sculptures. One need not look far to find yard decorations and mantlepieces made of recycled metals. Sky Fire, a small art shop in Jerome, features beautiful metal art done by a local artist. Visit Sky Fire and support local artists while simultaneously supporting environmental ethics.

Recycled plastic art is one beautiful and useful way to keep recyclables out of the waste stream. Many artists have found unique ways of using plastics for art, and a few of them are using plastic grocery bags. John Dahlsen of Australia is one the most renowned plastic bag artists in the world. John uses bags to create astonishing mosaics that sell for thousands of dollars. Who would have thought that a three cent bag could be so lucrative?

Though relatively few artists around the world have the patience or ingenuity to make a living off of recycled art, their visions and determination to protect the environment is appreciated. Recycled art can be made of any material by anybody. So don’t hesitate to make your own recycled art. Old CD’s, license plates, bottles, paper, wrappers - anything can become art! Kids will love using household materials for creative uses. Not only is it a form of expression, but it’s also a form of environmental conservation.

Questions? Comments? Email me at lorenawilliams4u@hotmail.com.

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