Freon and the Environment, part 1

Freon is the registered trademark of The Chemours Company, a spinoff of the DuPont Company, “for the refrigerants R-12, R-13B1, R-22, R-502, and R-503.” 

The Chemours Company uses the name Freon for a number of stable, nonflammable gases or liquids that have typically been used as refrigerants or aerosol propellants in such things as refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers, and canned products like hair sprays.

Reusable Shopping Bags

The early 2000s brought about innovative ideas to be greener in your home, at work, even at the grocery store. Enter the reusable shopping bag.

Reusable shopping bags are “a type of bag that can be reused many times; this is an alternative to single-use paper or plastic bags. It is often made from fabric such as canvas, woven synthetic fibers, or a thick plastic that is more durable than disposable plastic bags, allowing multiple uses.”

What is a Fuel/Compliance Surcharge?

As our website assures, Waste-Away Group is committed to providing quality service at the best possible value. Since trucking and hauling is the main focus of our business, fuel charges and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) compliance are large components of our cost of doing business.

Waste-Away Group’s Fuel/Compliance Surcharge covers more than just the cost of fuel. The cost to maintain fuel systems in our trucks in accordance with state and federal guidelines is also a substantial part of our company’s costs.

Why Do Landfills Smell So Bad?

In discussions about the smell surrounding landfills, the common theory is that it’s an overabundance of methane produced by rotting and fermenting material. Well, that is half true.

When organic matter decomposes, it gives off an odor that is most times considered to be offensive. Methane, however, is odorless. This makes it non-offensive to be around initially, but possibly dangerous if it unknowingly collects and ignites.

Is the Release of Balloons Considered Littering?

Birthday parties, sporting events, and weddings have one major thing in common. They are all excellent venues to let off an enormous amount of helium-filled balloons.

While beautiful and sometimes impressive, it is also illegal in many states and constitutes littering. Many cities and states have laws banning the release of helium-filled balloons including, “California, Connecticut, Florida, Tennessee and Virginia. Cities that have laws include Ocean City, Maryland; Louisville, Kentucky; Huntsville, Alabama; San Francisco, California; Nantucket, Massachusetts, and Baltimore, Maryland.”

Are Wrapping Paper, Ribbons, and Bows Recyclable?

This time of year brings about a lot of gift-giving and even more questions about whether certain things are recyclable.

Gifts are generally given in one of, or a combination of, the following: gift bags, various types of gift wrap, ribbon, and bows. Technically few of which are recyclable.

Wrapping paper, made primarily of, well…paper, seems to beg to be put into your recycling bin after use just by virtue of the fact that paper is one of the most commonly recycled commodity. 

The reality, however, is that “including it in the bin with other paper products can make an entire load unrecyclable.”

Many of today’s commonly used wrapping paper is made with foil or thin layers of plastic coating the paper and some tissue paper contains acid, making it a less desirable item to recycle. 

Lithium Battery Disposal

“Lithium batteries are disposable batteries that have lithium metal or lithium compounds as an anode.” An anode is the positively charged electrode. Lithium-ion batteries are their rechargeable counterparts.

Non-rechargeable lithium batteries had been in the works since the early 1900s but made their way into markets being commercially available in the early 1970s.