Highland Park Environment » Recycling

Waste in the Environment

allan — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:49:57 +0000

Earlier this summer, we were in Arcadia National Park and read the information below in the Acadia National Park “Beaver Log”.

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If you leave litter behind, how long does it take to break down? You mights be surprised.

Glass Bottle ……………. 1 million years

Fishing Line ……………… 600 years

Plastic Bottle ……………. 450 years

Disposable Diaper ……… 450 years

Aluminum Can ………….. 80-200 years

Foam Coffee Cup ………… 50 years

Plastic Bag …………………. 10-20 years

Cigarette Butt ……………. 1-5 years

Source: US National Park Service; Mote Marine Lab, Sarasota, FL

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Thus, leaving our garbage in the outdoors has a significant effects for a very long time!

Your Impact on the Ocean!!!

allan — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:37:52 +0000

Sign at Sunset Beach, Cape May Point, New Jersey

We were recently in Cape May, NJ for a birding weekend and came across this sign at a shop on Sunset Beach, Cape May Point. It outlines how long it takes man’s trash to degrade in the ocean. A disposable diaper (not biodegradable) has an estimated lifetime in the ocean of an astounding 450 years!!

“Leave nothing on the beach except your footprints – take care of our land and seas.”

The signs say it all!

Packing Peanuts Find a Home at Last

arnold — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 01:11:58 +0000

One big hole in most recycling programs is those lumpy white beads that come in so many shipments to you. Fortunately, some of the shipping and packing stores will take them for reuse. For one, the Highland Park UPS Store (55 Raritan Avenue) will take your leftover clean polystyrene packing beads (peanuts) for reuse. Remember, though, they take just the peanuts, not solid foam blocks, or bubble wrap, or air-filled plastic pillows.