The Green Lantern website

There is a weekly column in the Washington Post about environmental questions and since I had a question about recycling bags, I tracked it down. The website has a bunch of interesting articles for your occasional perusal.

Garbage Patch Kids

I ran across this article from cnn.com on the garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean. Not too much "new" info or findings from their studies, but what they did re-iterate is that the garbage patch we may picture (mountains of garbage floating like icebergs) is more realistically tiny particles of plastic and debris floating just beneath the surface of the water. Of course this covers thousands of miles of ocean, quite a huge area!

Sometimes I feel most people will say "who cares!" unless it directly impacts them. Two sentences I saw were:

"Brainard says they find a lot of skeletons of seabirds on the Islands and "their gut content is just filled with plastic." Brainard says that has scientists wondering what other animals are eating this plastic. As the larger animals and marine life eat the smaller animals, this plastic eventually ends up in the human food supply, too."

Hard to think about your McDonalds wrapper ending back in your Big Mac after you throw the wrapper out the window! Hopefully with our reduce, re-use, recycle mindset that is slowly spreading, we'll be able to keep these garbage patches at bay until we can figure out a way to clean them up!

Tire Disposal

Have you ever wondered why most landfills won't accept vehicle tires? The key is understanding the process behind their production. In the 19th century, Charles Goodyear famously invented a process for increasing the durability of naturally occurring rubber. His process, known as vulcanization, uses sulfur to connect individual rubber strands making tires incredibly durable and incredibly difficult to breakdown. According to Alan Weisman in the World Without Us, "Tires drive landfill operators crazy, because when buried, they encircle a doughnut-shaped air bubble that wants to rise. Most garbage dumps no longer accept them, but for hundreds of years into the future, old tires will inexorably work their way to the surface of forgotten landfills."

Landfills that do accept tires often require them to be shredded, which is an expensive process. As a result, for many years tires were stockpiled around the country until a decision could be made as to their end use. Unfortunately, tire stockpiles pose two major hazards, fire and pests. If ignited, tires can produce toxic gases and can be difficult to extinguish. Additionally, their shape makes them an ideal habitat for pests such as mosquitoes and rodents.

The latest information from the EPA suggests that, as a country, we are doing a whole lot better in disposing of our tires. In 2003, over 80% of all tires were reused or recycled in some way. Many (about 40%) were used as an alternative fuel (called Tire-Derived Fuel) for making cement and paper. Another 20% were used in civil engineering projects as a lightweight fill. Playgrounds, running tracks, and roads have also been destinations for tires.

Old tires can also be turned into rather uncomfortable sandals!

If you have tires that you are looking to dispose of, many auto care centers will take and dispose of them for a small fee. In Northern Virginia, individuals may also take their used tires to the I-95 Landfill Complex or I-66 Transfer Station Complex for a small fee.