Does that aluminum can you put in the recycling bin actually get recycled? What happens to glass collected at a New Hampshire transfer station? Why are lithium-ion batteries such a serious safety concern? And with limited landfill capacity in New Hampshire, how does recycling fit into the bigger picture?
NH Recycles Executive Director Andrea Folsom recently joined host Liz Canada on the New Hampshire Has Issues (opens in a new tab)podcast to tackle those questions and more — starting with perhaps the biggest one of all:
Is recycling real?
The answer: Yes. Recycling is working in New Hampshire.
During the episode, Andrea walks listeners through what actually happens to recyclable materials after residents drop them off, from source-separated recycling at local transfer stations to single-stream materials that travel to processing facilities outside New Hampshire. She also explains how NH Recycles works with communities to connect recyclable materials with end markets and help municipalities make recycling work economically and environmentally.
Where Does Your Recycling Go?
One of the episode's first stops is the journey of an aluminum can.
Depending on where you live, your can may travel with other recyclables to a materials recovery facility, or MRF, where the materials are separated.
In many of New Hampshire's smaller communities, residents instead separate their recyclables at the transfer station. Once enough material is collected, it can be marketed and shipped to a processor to be turned into raw material for new products.
Aluminum is a particularly strong example of the value of recycling because it can be recycled repeatedly without losing its quality — and making aluminum from recycled material uses dramatically less energy than producing it from newly mined ore.
The conversation also explores plastics, glass and why recycling rules aren't always as simple as the chasing-arrows symbol on the bottom of a container. Andrea's advice for residents who find recycling confusing is straightforward: start with the materials you know can be recycled and ask your local transfer station when you aren't sure.
Recycling Helps Communities Manage Waste
The episode also looks beyond individual bottles and cans to the larger solid waste challenges facing New Hampshire.
Recycling isn't only about conserving natural resources. It can also help municipalities avoid disposal costs by keeping material out of the trash. Recycling markets fluctuate, and not every recyclable material generates revenue at all times, but recycling can still make economic sense because communities pay to dispose of every ton of material that goes into a landfill or waste-to-energy facility.
With New Hampshire's landfill capacity finite, reducing the amount of material we throw away matters. As Andrea explains in the episode, landfills themselves are resources with limited capacity. Diverting recyclable materials helps preserve that capacity while putting valuable materials back into productive use.
And Please Don't Put Lithium-Ion Batteries in the Trash
The conversation also turns to one of the most important solid waste safety issues facing communities today: lithium-ion batteries.
New Hampshire law prohibits lithium-ion batteries from being disposed of in the trash. Damaged or improperly handled batteries can enter thermal runaway, creating fires that are extremely difficult to extinguish. Fires involving lithium-ion batteries have become a serious concern for garbage trucks, transfer stations and recycling facilities.
Andrea discusses both the safety risks and the opportunity that comes with properly recycling batteries. Batteries contain valuable materials that can be recovered rather than lost through disposal.
NH Recycles has been working across the state to help transfer station operators, fire personnel and communities better understand battery hazards and safe management practices. Residents can also access the NH Recycles Solid Waste Safety Toolkit(opens in a new tab) and recorded Solid Waste Safety Summit for information about lithium-ion battery safety, fire prevention and safe disposal.
Recycling Can Be Confusing. Don't Let That Stop You!
One of the central messages of the conversation is that recycling doesn't have to be all or nothing.
We know recycling can be confusing.(opens in a new tab) Different communities may collect materials differently, markets change, and even two plastic containers carrying the same resin identification number may not necessarily belong in the same recycling program.
But confusion doesn't mean recycling isn't working.
Start with the materials you know. Ask your transfer station operator when you have questions. And use NH Recycles as a resource.
As Andrea told listeners, communities would not spend the time, money and effort required to collect and market recyclable materials simply to throw them away. The goal is to make sure those materials go somewhere they can be put back to productive use — in ways that make both economic and environmental sense.
Listen to the Full Conversation
Want to follow the journey of an aluminum can, learn why New Hampshire doesn't have a MRF, hear more about what happens to glass and plastics, and find out why Liz promises never to throw a lithium-ion battery in the trash again?
And if you still have recycling questions after listening, explore the resources(opens in a new tab) available on our website or ask your local transfer station operator — they're one of the best recycling resources your community has.