Herewith three charts from
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on municipal solid waste (MSW) generation,
its recycling, and the recycling rate of some major waste components. The
trigger for this post? Why, it’s Tuesday. The trashman comes tomorrow. Today,
therefore, we collect the newspapers, cardboard, glass, metals, and plastics
and put them in the red container that the second
trash truck picks up for recycling. We actually have three trucks passing by here
in winter, four in the summer. Trash, recycling, bulky wastes, yard waste. Lots
of trucks. Anyway, the recycling bin reminded me of my days at EPA. I was the
nation’s first director of EPA’s first Recycling Division, part of the Office
of Solid Waste Management (OSWM). Ah, those were the days. Looking at these
charts, I can indulge in a little pride. I had some role in the raising of
Recycling Mountain. What would you call that? Practicing socio-geology?
