The End.

Hi Guys! We're at the end the journey here!

Let's recap what we've learned already:

The Material Recycling Facility: The place where all of your recycling goes. It sorts all of the mixed recycling stream in a maze of machines and conveyor belts. There are optical sorters, employees who pick items off of the lines that do not belong as well the other machines mentioned in the tour that make this process possible!

Although we are all about recycling here at RIRRC, we are also about reuse and reduction! Recycling is ideal when you have the materials to dispose of, but if you can buy less materials and reuse items it will reduce the amount of materials that go to the MRF. After all, recycling takes an immense amount of energy. From the trucks that pick it up and bring it to RIRRC, to the machines at the MRF, to the transportation that brings the baled material to the vendor. All of this uses energy. This energy could be reduced with a reduction in recycling. But this can only be done if we reduce the amount we buy and produce.

The State's Central Landfill: As Krystal, the Education and Outreach Coordinator would say, "we are away". When your trash gets picked up and goes away, the landfill is away. When most people think about there trash being picked up by their weekly town collection, they probably do not think of the end destination. I know that it does not always cross my mind. However, if we are all more conscious of remembering "the away" and where all of our trash will end up, perhaps we can all be more mindful of what and the quantity of what we throw away.

Waste Assessments: These free waste assessments provided by David, the Waste Prevention Coordinator are very important. It gives establishments, ranging from small churches to schools to international companies (based in RI) the opportunity to assess their recycling programs and improve them, even RIRRC. This will provide a cost savings and reduce the amount of trash going to the landfill.

Municipal Programs: Every municipality has their own recycling program. Kristin is in charge of overseeing this process. The municipal programs aim for a 35% recycling rate with a 50% diversion rate. Within each recycling program, there are goals and processes in place to attempt to meet these rates.

I hope that y'all enjoyed, I know that I sure have enjoyed sharing my experience with you!