- Air Information
- Broadcast E-mail Lists
- Commissions and Boards
- Contact Us
- Energy
- Environmental Issues
- Grants and Loans
- Land and Geology Information
- News Releases
- Online Services
- Organizational Chart
- Preservation
- Report an Environmental Problem
- Rules in Development
- Small Business Assistance
- State Parks
- Water Information
News Release No. 292
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES REPORTS 47 PERCENT OF MISSOURI'S WASTE WAS DIVERTED FROM LANDFILLS IN 2004
|
Volume 33-292 |
Contact: Renee Bungart |
|
(For immediate release) |
573-751-4465 |
JEFFERSON CITY, MO, JULY 22, 2005 - The Missouri Department of Natural Resources recently announced that Missouri kept an estimated 47 percent of its trash out of landfills in 2004.
When distributed across Missouri's population per person, nearly 1 ton of waste was not thrown away and about 1.07 tons of waste was disposed of in landfills.
"Missourians have continued to exceed the statewide goal of 40 percent," said Department of Natural Resources Director Doyle Childers. The 40 percent diversion goal was established by Senate Bill 530, signed into law in 1990. "Support from government officials, residents, solid waste management districts and businesses have helped Missouri become a state that values the conservation and protection of our natural resources for future generations," Childers said.
During the past 14 years, the department and Missouri's 20 solid waste management districts have helped to create and sustain recycling services across the state. Comprehensive waste prevention, public education efforts, material recovery facilities and composting operations all play a part in improving the way Missourians manage their solid waste.
Economic growths along with increasingly busy lifestyles, food habits and changes in living standards have contributed to an increase in waste generation. Paper and paperboard products are still the largest percentage of solid waste that ends up in landfills. Some factors that play a role in the paper waste stream include the increase in on-line shopping and catalog purchases, much of which contain paper and bulky packing materials. Also, our food habits and lifestyles have led us to actions of convenience such as getting dinner from take-out establishments that usually includes waste materials. We pay for these extra materials and then pay again to dispose of them.
If you would like to reduce the amount of waste you generate, here are a few steps to follow
- Avoid purchasing over-packaged products.
- Buy concentrated products.
- Reuse cardboard boxes, plastic bags and paper sacks.
- Invest in durable, quality products rather than disposable ones.
- Remove your name from the mailing lists of materials you no longer wish to receive.
- Avoid on-line purchases that can be purchased locally.
- Buy reusable containers while avoiding containers that can only be thrown away.
- Use sealable storage containers rather than plastic wrap.
The department has several fact sheets, technical bulletins and brochures on the Web that can provide additional suggestions for waste reduction. For additional ways to reduce business and home waste visit the department's Web site at www.dnr.mo.gov/alpd/swmp/publist.htm or contact Dennis Hansen at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-5401.
For more information on local recycling services, check the department's Web site at www.dnr.mo.gov/alpd/swmp/rrr/RecycDOliststatewide.pdf or call 800-361-4827 or 573-751-5401.
For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department's upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.
###
