EDUCATION
what is this project?
Here at 3 Degrees, we emphasize the value of campus education on sustainability and composting to truly drive a culture shift in Ann Arbor. Work through some of our fun, self-made education modules to learn more about sustainability, the core of our organization.
​
​
module 1: recycling
let's talk trash. no- not trash talk. Actual Garbage.
what is recyling?
Recycling is defined as the recovery of materials, such as paper, glass, plastic, metals, construction and demolition (C&D) material and organics from the waste stream (e.g., municipal solid waste), along with the transformation of materials, to make new products and reduce the amount of virgin raw materials needed to meet consumer demands. In addition to updating the definition of recycling, the 2016 REI Report identified nine materials and investigated their direct and indirect impact on jobs, wages and taxes. In contrast, the 2001 REI Report identified recycling processes rather than materials and investigated the impact of the processes on jobs, wages and taxes.
​
what is Michigan's recycling rate?
The residential recycling rate for Michigan is estimated around 15%. That means we trail the other Great Lakes States and most of the nation. However, one of the "rst priorities of the statewide recycling initiative will be to get stronger data about recycling in Michigan counties, cities and towns. The effort will focus on three pieces: amounts of material recycled, access to programs, and local participation in those programs.
​
what is recycling beneficial?
In 2017, the recycling, composting, combustion with energy recovery and landfilling of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) saved over 184 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. This is comparable to the emissions that could be reduced from taking over 39 million cars off the road in a year. Paper and paperboard recycling, at about 44.2 million tons, resulted in the largest portion of the total MSW reduction of about 148 MMTCO2E in 2017. This reduction is equivalent to removing over 31 million cars from the road for one year.
what is contamination?
Contamination can occur in recycling when non-recyclables are placed in recycling. Similarly, when a non-compostable item is put into the compost bin. Contamination can include anything from food waste to plastic bags. Different recycling systems allow for different materials to be recycled and consider different materials as contaminants. This makes proper waste management difficult. In order to prevent contamination while recycling effectively, it is necessary to be informed about the materials recycling programs accept, and follow these guidelines.
It is very important to --- explore in our game!
​
​
why is it bad?
When a certain percent of a batch of recycling is contaminated, the whole batch of recycling is considered unusable and thrown away. Therefore contamination can undermine the good waste management habits of others and cause easily recyclable items to end up in landfills.
​
​
how is it bad?
Contamination rates ranged from 1.5% for glass packaging in the commercial general waste bins to 56.9% for unrecoverable plastic packaging in the household general waste bins. As expected, contamination rates were generally much lower in the recycling bins. Although there is significant variation across the different materials, contamination rates in household bins have been generally higher in 2018 than they were in 2008, while remaining at a similar level for commercial bins between that time period.
​
​
how is it bad?
Contamination rates ranged from 1.5% for glass packaging in the commercial general waste bins to 56.9% for unrecoverable plastic packaging in the household general waste bins. As expected, contamination rates were generally much lower in the recycling bins. Although there is significant variation across the different materials, contamination rates in household bins have been generally higher in 2018 than they were in 2008, while remaining at a similar level for commercial bins between that time period.
​
​
let's put your knowledge to the test! Game Time.
module 2: cross-contamination
green is the new black.
what is cross-contamination?
Contamination occurs when materials are sorted into the wrong bin (placing a glass bottle into a mixed paper recycling bin for example), or when materials are not properly cleaned, such as when food residue remains on a plastic yogurt container.
If you are collecting material for composting or recycling, anything other than that specific material could be considered a contaminant.
Contamination rates were generally higher in 2018 than they were in 2008 for the household bins and at a similar level to 2008 for the commercial bins.
​
​
​
why is it bad?
When a certain percent of a batch of recycling is contaminated, the whole batch of recycling is considered unusable and thrown away. Therefore contamination can undermine the good waste management habits of others and cause easily recyclable items to end up in landfills. It can also damage the sorting machines.
When disposed of improperly (ex: in the wrong recycling container), even recyclable materials, such as plastic and other paper products, can act as contaminants. The challenges of recycling after a natural disaster point to an extreme form of contamination.
​
​
​
prevention
While any non-compostable item is undesirable in collected organics, the physical contaminants of most concerns to composters are the Big Three: Plastics, glass, and produce stickers. Other contaminants such as shoes, tools, treated wood, balls, wire, and occasionally, the random engine block or kitchen sink, are received and, while annoying, are more easily removed from the feedstock or finished compost. That is not the case with the Big Three
​
​
let's put your knowledge to the test! Game Time.