Cape Cod municipalities called trail blazers for recycling efforts

Cape Cod municipalities called trail blazers for efforts to boost paper reycling

MassRecycle, a Massachusetts non-profit environmental organization, recently announced the launch a campaign to increase paper recycling in Massachusetts by one million tons.  The Mass Recycles Paper! Campaign is a public/private partnership of MassRecycle, MassDEP, EPA New England, and a number of recycling and waste management companies. 

Massachusetts throws away over a million and a half tons of recyclable paper each year- - enough paper to fill Fenway Park 750 feet high - - the height of the Prudential Center – every year!Massachusetts throws away over a million and a half tons of recyclable paper each year- - enough paper to fill Fenway Park 750 feet high - - the height of the Prudential Center – every year!

Massachusetts throws away over a million and a half tons of recyclable paper each year- - enough paper to fill Fenway Park 750 feet high - - the height of the Prudential Center – every year!  And it costs over $100 million to dispose of it.   To reach the Mass Recycles Paper goal, the campaign is urging residents, businesses, and municipalities to increase their efforts to recycle more paper and asking municipalities to show their commitment by signing a resolution to support the campaign.

Claire Sullivan, Chairman of the Mass Recycles Paper! Campaign referred to the fifteen Cape Cod municipalities as trail blazers for their early efforts to boost paper recycling.  This past April, the cape towns formed the Recycle More Cape Paper Campaign with the intention of sending a joint message cape-wide that recycling paper is easy and has environmental and financial benefits. In addition to posters and educational materials, the municipalities are planning other outreach efforts including information tables at various town events throughout the year.  The Cape Paper Campaign municipalities include Barnstable, Bourne, Brewster, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Harwich, Mashpee, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro, Wellfleet, and Yarmouth. 

According to Robert Angell, Superintendent of the Town of Yarmouth’s Waste Management Facilities who attended the launch of the Mass Recycles Paper! held at the state owned Springfield Materials Recycling Facility, “The more paper we recycle, the less we send off as trash, and that reduces disposal costs.  Cape municipalities offer the opportunity for recycling a variety of paper including junk mail, office paper, newspapers, magazines, paper board (cereal and cracker boxes, etc,) catalogs, cardboard and much more.  Recycling paper is easy!!!!!

Mass Recyles Paper! Campain launches in Springfield. Left to right: Robert Angell, Superintendent of the Town of Yarmouth’s Waste Management Facilities, Angela Sottile, President of MassRecycle, and Claire Sullivan, Chairman of the Mass Recycles Paper! Campaign. Photo courtesy of MassRecyle.

Throwing away recyclable paper is a waste of money and resources.  Paper is a valuable commodity in demand by paper mills around the world.  Much of the mixed paper that is recovered from Massachusetts’s municipalities goes to mills right here in Massachusetts to be turned into new products such as cereal and cracker boxes, game boards and book covers - including JK Rowling's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. 

Recycling paper saves natural resources, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and saves energy.   In 2005, Massachusetts saved over 31 trillion BTUs of energy by recycling paper - - enough to power 295,372 homes for one year.  Massachusetts recycled enough paper last year to prevent the cutting of nearly 17 million trees.  Yet, one and one half million tons of recyclable paper is still being thrown out each year in Massachusetts.  What a waste.  Join in to help boost paper recycling.  A little effort makes a big difference.

Call your town for more information about the variety of paper and other materials you can recycle in your town’s program.

Release courtesy of MassRecycle.