Happy Earth Day 4.54 Billion Years Later!

This April, join GPOD in celebrating Earth Day! On April 22nd over 1 billion people will be celebrating the Earth! It’s no secret our planet has been damaged by pollution and other toxic waste, but imagine what could be done when people all over the world come together to help. This year, the Earth Day Network (EDN) proclaimed the theme for Earth Day would be “The Face of Climate Change.” Many people believe climate change is a remote problem, but people, animals and environments around the world are already being affected. So what can you do to help? Well, first the EDN will collect and display pictures and videos of people, animals and places that have been directly influenced by climate change. Go to http://www.earthday.org/2013/ to share your story and post your pictures. So, what if you don’t have a picture or story? Well join one of the millions of events around the world that will take place on April 22nd that will help heal the earth. Now, what is GPOD doing for the earth? For starters, we recycle 80% of all the waste we collect, all year ‘round! Not only do we recycle but we upcycle as well! Research what your local community is doing to celebrate Earth Day and join the fun!

Spring has sprung. Have you cleaned out the clutter yet?

Getting ready for spring-cleaning? It’s that time of year again where that old junk from the basement, garage or attack has got to go. Clutter means stress and who needs more stress? With all that junk cleared from your home, you have more space to let in that warm air and make new memories. A clean, clutter free, home means a happy and healthy family. If you’re not using something, sell it, or dispose of it properly with GPOD. Our same and next day dumpster service makes it quick and easy to discard those old, unused items you’ve been meaning to throw out for years. Not only are our prices convertible but there is no fuel charge on any dumpster rental and no hidden fees! We pride ourselves on exceptional service and making our customers our number one priority. Planning to remodel or start a home improvement project? Let us take care of the waste for you. Worried about where your waste is going? 80% of all your waste will be recycled when using GPOD. Now that sounds like a great, guilt free way to clean the house! Not ready to get rid of valuables, but no room in your home? We offer 12ft & 16ft storage containers. You can be sure your items are safe and secure with our storage units. Don’t put off spring-cleaning! Order your GPOD dumpster today!

Mandatory Recycling in Connecticut

         Each person from the residential and non-residential sectors in Connecticut disposes around 4.95 pounds of trash every day. This means that, altogether, we generate 3,179,224.36 of wastes every year. Most of these wastes are sent to one of Connecticut’s seven Resource Recovery Facilities. These facilities all have modern pollution controls that lessen air emissions resulting from the combustion process. The wastes are then burned as fuel for generating electricity, and the ash by-products are buried into especially designed and lined landfills.

         Sadly, even if 90.38% of our wastes are recyclable, only 24.20% of them are actually recycled. Most of all, mandatory recycling has been taking effect in Connecticut since 1991. Yes, according to the Mandatory Recycling Act, every household, business, institution and government agency in Connecticut is required to recycling the following:

• Bottle Bill Plastics
• Catalogs
• Corrugated cardboard
• Glass food and beverage containers
• Grass clippings
• HDPE bottles
• Lead acid batteries
• Leaves

• Metal food and beverage containers
• Newspapers
• Nickel-cadmium batteries
• PET containers
• Scraped metal
• Used motor oil
• White office paper (household exempt)

        The following are also recyclable, although not mandated:

• Carpet and pads
• Compostable paper
• C&D wood, untreated
• Electronics

• Food waste
• Logs, brush, stumps
• Recyclable paper
• Textiles

         Some towns have recycling and trash services for multi-family residences with 2 or 3 apartments. However, most businesses, condominiums and apartment buildings directly contract with trash haulers, dumpster rentals and roll-off services in Connecticut for garbage collection and recycling. The hauler, dumpster company or roll-off service cannot pickup the recyclables if they are mixed with trash. The law also requires “source separation”, or that the recyclables be separated from the trash within the place where they are generated.

         The recyclables are then sent to one of the six intermediate processing centers, wherein they are readied for businesses that can convert them into new products. A number of centers also collect the non-mandated recyclables that have suitable markets.

         But simply gathering the segregated recyclables from dumpsters and roll offs to the recycling centers is not recycling. Recycling happens once the recyclables are used to make another products, and completes when the products are bought and used. Thus, we only do not need to recycle items in ways that maximizes their value and quality, but also patronize and use them when they become available in the market.

         Both private and public schools are required to recycle. Educational institutions have the special obligation to practice the environmental ethics they impart, enabling students to recycle, not only in their homes, but also in school. Most of all, each municipality has local ordinances that enforce recycling of the mandatory recyclables. Thus, local communities are authorized to enforce the local ordinances on illegal dumping, littering and recycling.

         So how else can we promote proper recycling in our towns?

         Get involved with Connecticut Recycles Day, which happens November 15th of each year. Visit the Connecticut Recycles Day website to see resources, ideas and coordinate for this event in your town.

         Find out how to get a recycling bin and what can be recycled in your town. Contact your Department of Public Works, municipal recycling coordinator, town hall and town websites for this information. The information about Fairfield and New Haven municipal recycling coordinators are here.

         Rent a recycling dumpster for huge amounts of trash and segregated recyclables. GPOD Dumpsters can provide you with dumpsters and roll-off services in various sizes for all waste types, including recyclable materials. GPOD especially caters to homes and business and Fairfield and New Haven, Connecticut.

         Connecticut has a huge potential for doing much better in recycling. Only if we will continue to expand our waste reduction and recycling efforts will we feel its global and local environmental benefits, and also lessen our public expenditures for waste disposal.