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Residents Can Help Keep Recyclables Free of Contaminants!
 Most paper collected for recycling in the U.S. is shipped to China to be made into new paper products. In a recent crack-down in what China is calling "Operation Green Fence," customs officials are rejecting entire shipments of both paper and plastics that contain levels of contamination beyond the allowed 1.5 percent. Contaminants in paper include items such as plastic bags, glass, metal and plastic containers, packing materials, bags of garbage and even diapers. If these items are found in the materials that are baled and shipped to China, they are being returned to the U.S. at shipping fees of $6,000 per container.
Residents can help keep their recyclables materials clean by only recycling items that the Recycling Program accepts and by keeping the following items out of recycling carts:
- Plastic bags and film, bubble wrap, plastic bag covers for magazines and newspapers, plastic wrap from household goods like paper towels--recycle these at local grocery stores;
- Milk and juice cartons, diapers and pet food bags--dispose in garbage;
- Paper egg cartons--NEW! No longer accepted as recyclable paper-dispose in garbage; and
- Plastic packaging with paper attached, such as Tyvec mailing envelopes--either tear the paper away from the plastic and recycle the paper or dispose of all in the garbage.
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"Choosing a Sustainable Future" Earth Day Poster Contest Winners
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Joining Mayor Anthony (Tony) Spitaleri, third row.
Second row left to right: Rikhil Konduru, Arushi Gupta, Divya Machineni, Yatee Samantaray, Shreya Sinha, Angele Bajet and Katherine Han. First row left to right: Claire Suzue, Sadhvi Narayanan, Tiffany Yu, Michael Placencia. Not present: Medha Kini, Hannah Estollano, Tam Hoang. |
The Environmental Services Department hosted its annual Earth Day Poster Contest for kindergarten through eighth grade students. Representing four of twelve participating schools, the following fourteen first place winners in both individual and group categories were celebrated on April 23, during a Special Order of the Day recognition by Mayor Anthony (Tony) Spitaleri, followed by an ice cream social for students and families. Posters are on display in the corridor at City Hall between the One-Stop Center and Council Chambers until September, and may also be viewed on TV at the Public Library.
Braly Elementary - Medha Kini, 5th-6th Individual
Catholic Academy - Michael Placencia, Kindergarten. Hannah Estollano and Tam Hoang, 7th-8th Individual tied.
Cumberland Elementary - Tiffany Yu, 1st-2nd Individual.
Stocklmeir Elementary - Sadhvi Narayanan and Claire Suzue, 1st-2nd Group. Rikhil Konduru, 3rd-4th Individual. Divya Machineni, Yatee Samantaray, Arushi Gupta and Shreya Sinha, 3rd-4th Group. Angele Bajet and Katherine Han, 5th-6th Group. |
The Wonderful Water Tour- A Family Friendly Event!
Take a family field trip this summer and learn what happens to the water that leaves the various drains inside your home or business. During the interactive tour of the Water Pollution Control Plant, visitors will learn about environmental issues, the various stages of treating the wastewater, and how the design of the Plant uses alternative fuel sources to produce electricity and conserve energy. In addition, you'll learn how Sunnyvale promotes water conservation by producing and using recycled water for landscape irrigation at corporate business parks and city facilities.
Join us on one of our free community tours*. The next two upcoming tours will be held on July 13 and August 3 from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. Reserve your spot today as the tours fill up quickly!
For tour information or to reserve your spot, call Environmental Outreach at (408) 730-7717, TDD (408) 730-7501 or email wpcp@sunnyvale.ca.gov.
*Due to safety concerns, participants must be 8 and older to participate. |
