Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1512164
1 5 6 P E R S P E C T I V E | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y A. AMY HAMMES (RECYCLING SPECIALIST AND MASTERMIND BEHIND THE WASTE WARRIOR PROGRAM) POINTS OUT THE THINGS IN THE PILE THAT CANNOT BE RECYCLED. PHOTO BY KAREN STEWARD. B. DR. DENT, AMY HAMMES, TODD MOORE, KELSEY GARRETT, JULIANNE CRUMP AND KAREN STEWARD TOUR BUBANK RECYCLING FACILITY. PHOTO BY DANICA VALLONE. of these materials the sign shop can source and stock in the future, so that ADG can then start recommending them to the industry. It is important to research the level of circularity advantages of each new material that is discovered; some of the criteria or questions we ask ourselves specific to our industry are: -Where is it manufactured? -What about shipping and carbon footprint? -Is the source material virgin or recycled? -What level of recycling can happen after its use? -Can it be re-purposed or re-used? -How will it fare in the landfill? -Can I get it delivered in a short period of time? -Is it cost-effective? "If something has value, it is not waste." Our second stop was an in-depth tour of Burbank Recycling Facility hosted by Amy Hammes https:// www.burbankca.gov/web/ public-works/recycle- center, who is highly educated and passionate about recycling; we discussed the illusive types of plastics and other materials that can or can't be recycled and the descending list of priorities in the "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle" mantra. (Check out the "where it goes" function of the website: https://www.burbankca.gov/web/public-works/ where-it-goes) to help understand the dynamics of what can be done with your waste. We learned about the numbering system (plastic resin type) for plastics and what it means and that there are so many politics around the recycle symbol itself. For instance, things that cannot be recycled: foam items and packaging material, plastic bags, and film, plastic #3, #4, foam plastic #6 (including foam cups and takeout containers), rigid plastic #6 (including those red plastic party cups), plastic #7, no black plastics, wrappers, clothing and textiles, paper cups, diapers, meal kit packaging, paint cans and anything under 4″ in diameter, such as straws and loose plastic cups. Another thing we learned is that many smaller things like lids and straws clog up the machinery, and that Styrofoam, mostly air, can be recycled via a densifier machine, but that it also clogs machinery and not every recycling facility has one. We were able to ask Amy about some of the sign shop materials like Sintra (PVC plastic), and foam core (PVC compressed foam) for instance, only to find that these end up in the landfill, as does "recycled" carpet and linoleum. If you are an IATSE 800 member interested in joining the ADG Green Committee, please contact the Co-chairs Amelia Brooke, Jake Tremblay, Kelsey Garrett and Paula Loos (Netherlands) at adg800green@gmail.com B A