Recycling When You RV

Before I get into a topic I am really passionate about, I want to tell you that it’s been quite the week here in Apache Junction, AZ. Our daughter and son-in-law from Alaska joined us for five wonderful days! We enjoy hiking and we did lots of it. One day we even hiked 10 miles on the Dutchman Trail in the Superstition Mountains. With the recent rains, the desert has come alive with color everywhere! Currently, we are camping at the Lost Dutchman State Park. As I write this blog, there is snow on the mountain tops outside our windows! Weather forecasts say it will warm up into the 70’s next week. I hope they are true!

Recycling should be easy, right?

Recycling should be something that is easy when you are RVing. Well, believe it or not, it isn’t that easy! We took for granted how easy it was to recycle in our Lakeville neighborhood back in Minnesota! We had “single-stream recycling” which means we could put the majority of our recyclables into a single recycle bin. The waste hauler delivers them to a single location. From there, the materials are sorted and sold to other businesses to be recycled properly.

Since we started full-time RVing, we set aside our recyclables. We find it very difficult to locate public recycle bins. Even many of the RV parks we stay at don’t have recycle programs either. When we do end up finding them, only one or two items can be recycled, i.e., plastic bottles and/or aluminum cans. Why is it so difficult to be good stewards of sustainability?

As Americans, we need to do better.

According to the EPA, approximately 75% of the trash Americans throw away each week is recyclable. Yet only 25% is actually recycled. When we recycle, products normally discarded are broken down and turned into something valuable. They receive a second life and landfills are spared the waste. With the amount of waste already in landfills, the problem may seem larger than any individual effort can solve. Recycling efforts do make a significant impact and can help preserve the environment for generations to follow. This is important to us because we are excited to be first-time grandparents in August 2019!

Not all cities have great recycling efforts.

An interesting experience happened to us in Lake Havasu City, AZ in January. We called City Hall to find out where we could bring our recycle items. There are no collection points in the city for non-residents. They recommended we go to the landfill to drop off our items. So, we made the trip to the landfill and waited in line with the garbage trucks. When it was our turn, we were told there were no recycling bins and it would cost $6 for our bag of recyclables to go into the landfill! Obviously, this wasn’t an option we wanted. Later, we relayed this story to a neighborhood quilt store owner. She said we could use her curbside recycle bin. Since this was one way we could get our items recycled, we took her up on it!

“Phoenix recycling rates are less than 20%.”

Arizona cities don’t do very well in recycling compared to other U.S. cities. Phoenix is out to change this. There are eco-stations (huge roll-off bins) strategically placed in city-owned parks. Anyone can use the eight eco-stations to place their recyclables at any time. We are currently staying at the Lost Dutchman State Park in Apache Junction, AZ. Fortunately, they have two single-stream recycling dumpsters we can use.

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Recycling Website Resources

As RVers, we are constantly moving. So, it was time to do some internet researching. I found two websites that will help us determine where we can recycle our items. This is a great step forward! Enjoy these resources:

• Keeping America Beautiful – Put in your zip code to find out where you can recycle all kinds of items.
• Earth 911 – Find recycling guides and locations near you. Guidance for eco-friendly living, sustainable purchasing choices and making changes to protect our planet are also shared.

While not everything can be recycled, the majority of products and materials we use on a daily basis can be. By visiting the above websites, you can learn what is safe to include in recycling and what materials require special treatment.

Did you know?

Did you know you can recycle plastic bags at your local grocery store in bins located near the front door? In addition to plastic bags, you can also recycle plastic film packaging. Plastic film packaging is soft, flexible polyethylene (PE) packaging such as grocery, bread, zip-top and dry cleaning bags. It is also the wrap around many products including paper plates, napkins, bathroom tissue, diapers and more. The Plastic Film Recycling website can help you find a drop-off location closest to you. Because if this, we now recycle plastic film packaging!

I hope you find this information helpful. By taking simple steps every day to recycle, you can protect your RV (or home), your family and the environment.

Finding Joy in the Journey – Heidi of Loving the RV Life