HAWAI'I'S ENVIRONMENT
Recycling efforts get more creative
By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Columnist
Residents of Mililani, whose curbside recycling program started recently, have a head start for Saturday's celebration of America Recycles Day.
But are we in a recycling rut, stuck on standard ways of recycling aluminum cans, glass bottles, newspapers and the like?
Aren't there some interesting, innovative recycling solutions out there?
Just paying attention to the America Recycles program suggests that there's more to be done.
Organizers say there will be more than 800 events across the country, promoting the reuse of the stuff we customarily use — and not necessarily just the stuff we usually recycle.
"America Recycles Day reminds us of America's and our own personal commitment to be good stewards of our resources," said John Howard, the federal environmental executive whose office is a National America Recycles Day sponsor. You can learn all about the events, and prizes, at www.americarecyclesday.org.
I went looking for recycling efforts that find new, different uses for stuff.
For instance, the state of Florida gave a recycling grant to an organization that's finding ways to grind up old tires and use them as lightweight filler in concrete and mortar. It gets rid of the tires and replaces mined materials used to mix up concrete.
There's a Swiss watch company that advertises that the body of each of its CrashWatches is made from a crushed aluminum can — crushed, not melted and reformed — and the case and buckle are manufactured from recycled PET plastic bottles. Check out crashwatches.com.
A New Zealand firm, Palazzo Natural Stone Carpets, has developed a technique for dyeing crushed recycled glass and converting it into variously colored flooring tiles.
The company said it can blend the colors to anything a customer wants.
A company called Resource Revival (www.resourcerevival.com) makes interesting, useful items out of old bike and car parts.
Its best-selling product is a bottle opener made from a piece of bike chain and a chunk of sprocket.
They also make key chains from bike chains.
Now, there's recycling.
Jan TenBruggencate is The Advertiser's Kaua'i bureau chief and its science and environment writer. Contact him at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 245-3074.
