Centerlines - March 2009 - (Page 33) ENVIRONMENT Airports are actively recycling construction waste. Attractive, sturdy and well-labeled receptacles are important for consumers and concessionaires to use. The U.S. airline industry tosses enough aluminum cans a year to build 58 Boeing 747 airplanes, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. importing fewer items from China, for example, China is buying less recycled paper to be transformed into cardboard shipping containers. The prices scrap dealers are paying for recycled materials have been falling. However in Oakland, its Pacific location helps. “Recyclables have a lot of value, because Oakland is a port city. There are people here who will pay top dollar for these materials because the shipping costs are so low,” said Anastasia Nicole, sales and business development representative with Norcal Waste Services, of Alameda County. The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which recycles about 1,250 tons of material annually, has trouble recycling glass, Fox said. The recycling market for glass is not that strong, especially for colored glass. On the other hand, San José doesn’t have a problem giving away broken runway lighting globes. Vetrazzo, which incorporates glass into products like counter tops, takes the colored glass. “They were really happy to get them,” said Hiestand, who also donated intact waste globes to a local non-profit organization. Reports of savings from recycling vary. San José’s waste hauling costs have dropped by $28,500. It was earning $178 per ton for old corrugated containers a year ago, although that dropped to $108 per ton by October. The Oakland International Airport reported lower disposal costs. At the Port Columbus International Airport, recyclables cost $15 per ton to pick up, compared to $32 per ton for regular trash; it processed 10,000 tons of recyclables between its 2001 program launch and April, 2008. Nashville reported that lower solid waste disposal charges have helped offset the cost of its bailer and compactors. Tucson’s Matthews commented, “We are not saving money or breaking even, but we never expected a cost savings. We are committed to recycling because it is the right thing to do.” ■ www.aci-na.org | CENTERLINES 33 http://www.stvinc.com http://www.aci-na.org
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