About Brett Stav

Seattle Public Utilities

Recent posts

• Comment on Lee's answer…

  0 0 The German study you cite doesn't really look into the recycling and composting process and how it effects thermal paper. It primarily focuses on how BPA is in toilet paper and , and toilet paper gets in the sewer, therefore getting into the ecosystem. It deserves further looking into. For now, I'm going to keep recycling my receipts, and consider installing a bidet in my bathroom. Brett Stav commented about 1 year ago

• Comment on Brett Stav's answer…

  0 0 You're jumping to a few conclusions, and I'm guessing you've seen Penn & Teller's hilarious "Bull$hit" episode on recycling. I love their bit about "recycling saves trees the same way not eating potatoes saves potatoes." However, there are environmental costs to doing everything, including tree farming. And how many more tree farms or virgin forests would we need to tap into if we didn't recycle paper? A lot! I agree that recycling doesn't work everywhere, mainly, due to transportation costs associated with transferring the waste to a recycling facility. (By the way, imagine the cost of shipping our garbage to that 35-mile wide imaginary landfill, let alone the process and cost of siting it.) I do agree that making some products from recycled material probably does create a larger footprint than landfilling them, at least now, using today's technologies. However, in Seattle, recycling works, primarily because we have state of the art recycling and composting facilities a stone's throw away from here, and our landfill is the next state away, and we're GOOD AT IT. Seattle homeowners recycle nearly 70% of their waste! We're also a port and rail city that allows us to easily ship our recyclables to markets all over the world. It's cost affordable and efficient. Economically, recycled aluminum, tin, paper, cardboard and PET plastic are highly valued in the recycling markets around the world. Recycling in Seattle is a good thing to do, but it's not the best thing you can do, solid waste-wise. The best thing to do is to shop local, shop for recycled-content or previously used products, and shop smart, not buying single-use, short-life products that you have to recycle or throw away in the first place. Brett Stav commented about 1 year ago

• Comment on Lee's answer…

  0 0 Okey dokey. Better recycle your receipts, then, or better yet, not ask for one. Brett Stav commented about 1 year ago

• Comment on Lee's answer…

  0 0 Our composting facility "cooks" off chemicals in the process, but unless you use receipts like you would use shredded paper to line your yard waste cart, you might as well just recycle them. You can check out the high-tech composting process at www.cgcompost.com Brett Stav commented about 1 year ago

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  What are the environmental effects of recycling?

  0 0 For more thorough answers, Ask Jeeves or Google. Or visit the EPA'S web site. There is a whole range of costs and benefits of recycling depending on the material. For example, recycling aluminum cans is AWESOME. You don't need to dynamite or use cyanide to mine for the metal, and the recyclng process is so efficient, that you can put your pop can in a recycling cart, and that metal will be remanufactured and back on the store shelf in a six-pack in about sixty days. AND, you can recycle aluminum FOREVER. There are probably pop cans out that have been recycled 10,000 times! On the other end of the scale, say, glass bottles, are not as awesome. It's heavy to ship, the process to remake it requires energy. How much more energy than making glass from sand? I dunno. Ask Jeeves. I do know, however, are some good "landfill hogshit" numbers you loathe. The EPA thinks 90% the greenhouse gases that are generated by America's solid waste management system (recycling, composting, landfilling) is generated from landfilling. I'm not a math whiz, but to me,that means recycling wins! Brett Stav answered in Recycle/Re-Use about 1 year ago Answer, comment & read 2 more answers »

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  Dirty Recyclables and Confused Compostables?

  0 0 You are right on all points. First, yes, if it’s dirty it’s not recyclable; unless it’s compostable, it’s garbage. So the dirty yogurt containers you mentioned should have gone in the trash. As you noted, Starbucks hot cups – in fact, paper hot beverage cups from any shop – are lined with a thin layer of polyethylene. That means that when empty they should go in recycling. Some hot cups are labeled compostable, but that just means the liner is a corn-based bioplastic. They’re still mostly paper and so they, too, should go in recycling. That keeps it simple. All hot cups go in recycling. We’re disappointed to hear that the event organizers you worked with apparently did a pretty poor job of planning and managing the recycling and composting of the food service products being used. Event recycling is much harder to manage than residential recycling. The residential recycling guidelines allow a wide range of materials and require cleaning of all materials because it is likely that there is convenient access to sinks and wipes to clean food residue from the recyclable containers. Seattle Public Utilities is working with as many event organizers as possible to help with signage and bins for recycling and compostables so folks can properly discard food service products when they’re done with them. We understand that the transition to new compostable and recyclable food service products is a big change for a lot of people, so it’s important this year for event sponsors to clearly mark bins and in most cases have volunteers out there monitoring them and helping people discard things properly. With regard to compostable serviceware, the same challenges exist regarding communicating the guidelines and increasing the understanding of what is compostable and what is garbage. You are correct, the system is being inundated with non-compostable food and beverage packaging that is plastic coated. There is a website that lists all the “approved” compostable packaging, but there are also a number of packaging items that do not fully compost, therefore are not approved, but they appear to be compostable by their appearance. It is very important that food service businesses select the appropriate packaging for their food and beverages. Brett Stav answered in Recycle/Re-Use about 1 year ago Answer, comment & read 2 more answers »

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  Are there recycling programs for commercial buildings?

  1 0 Yes, Seattle does offer free commercial recycling assistance through Resource Venture. However, it sound like your building management might be a first place to start. Once you find out what kind of arrangement they have for recycling, please suggest they call Resource Venture at (206) 343-8505 or www.resourceventure.org and they might be able to help them out to improve tenant recycling. Brett Stav answered in Recycle/Re-Use about 1 year ago Answer and comment »

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  Is thermal (receipt) paper recyclable?

  0 2 Yep. Recyclable and compostable Brett Stav answered in Recycle/Re-Use about 1 year ago Answer, comment & read 3 more answers »

• Comment on Brett Stav's answer…

  0 0 That stuff loses it's moisture fast, and that's where all the weight is at. Plus, I'm guessing alot of folks do most of their yard waste work about 4 times a year. Actually, SPU gives you more service now than it used to. In 2008, SPU collected up to 4 units of yard waste every other week (8 units a month). Now, it collects up to 3 units weekly (12 units a month.) Brett Stav commented about 1 year ago

• Comment on Brett Stav's answer…

  0 0 Hmm. Good question. They may be using the bin for "all recyclables" or just haven't picked it up yet. Talk to your building manager. Brett Stav commented about 1 year ago

• See all of my 0 Questions , 17 Answers and 8 Comments