2015 America Recycles Day
Key Messages
America Recycles Day
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One day to educate and motivate.
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One day to get our neighbors, friends and colleagues excited about what can be accomplished when
we all work together.
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One day to ramp up our year-long efforts to increase participation in recycling by helping people
across the country better understand how to recycle more and recycle right at home, at school, at
work and on the go.
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One day to make recycling bigger and better, 365 days a year!
THEME: Bathrooms, Bags & Gadgets
This year's theme is "Bathrooms, Bags & Gadgets," meant to shine a light on some of the "not top of mind to
recycle" everyday items. From shampoo and mouthwash bottles, to plastic grocery bags and plastic wrap
packaging of items like paper towels and toilet paper, to electronics small and large like mobile phones,
printers, laptop and desktop computers, game consoles and more.
We all know the Top 10 in the Bin: cardboard, paper, food boxes, mail, beverage cans, food cans, bottles, jars,
jugs, and plastic bottles and caps. But for many Americans, recycling is not top-of-mind for other materials
(electronics, plastic bags and wraps, and textiles) that often can’t go into the curbside recycling bin but are still
recyclable.
During this year’s America Recycles Day, Keep America Beautiful is making an extra effort to make sure some
of the often-forgotten consumer products – items in the bathroom, plastic bags and film wrap and your
electronic gadgets – all find a new life by being recycled.
As a national sponsor of America Recycles Day, CyclePoint® from SourceAmerica® is proud to host eRecycling
collection events across the country. Electronic items collected will have the data safely and securely
destroyed and the gadgets will be properly refurbished for reuse and/or recycled into new products. Learn
more at cyclepointus.org
You can be part of the solution by being more mindful of how to properly recycle the products you use, in your
home, office and elsewhere. Go to americarecyclesday.org to see if there’s a recycling event near you or
register to host your own.
CALL TO ACTION: “I Will Recycle”
America Recycles Day, a Keep America Beautiful Initiative
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Commit to recycle more and take the “I Will Recycle” pledge at americarecyclesday.org/pledge. You
may select a specific item that you’re especially interested in recycling and pledge to recycle more of
that item in the future.
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After pledging to recycle, demonstrate your recycling spirit to friends and other committed recyclers.
Post a photo of yourself holding a recyclable product that you pledged to recycle. Use the hashtag
#IWillRecycle on Instagram and Twitter for a chance to be randomly selected to win a prize!
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Learn about where to recycle in your community by going to the Keep America Beautiful recycling
locator at http://www.iwanttoberecycled.org/.
For more ideas on how to bring the campaign to your community and integrate the message with your
America Recycles Day event, see our activity guide at AmericaRecyclesDay.org/toolkit.
GIVE YOUR ELECTRONIC “GARBAGE” ANOTHER LIFE: SUPPORTING FACTS
When material is recycled, it becomes something new and valuable.
Electronics
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Each year, America produces nearly 50 million tons of electronic waste.
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More than 30 million computers are discarded.
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More than 6.7 billion pounds of electronic waste is not recycled in the United States.
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One metric ton of electronic scrap from personal computers contains more gold than that recovered
from 17 tons of gold ore.
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Only 40% of consumer electronics were recycled in 2013, according to the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency.
Plastic
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A plastic bottle can be recycled into new containers, t-shirts and fleeces, park benches, plastic lumber,
and playground equipment.
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Plastic bags are recycled into fences, decks, and shopping carts. (While not collected at the curb, many
retailers across the country collect dry-cleaning, bread, and newspaper bags along with grocery bags).
Aluminum
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A can made of aluminum can go from the recycling bin to the store shelf as a new can in as few as 60
days.
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Aerosol cans are becoming increasingly recyclable. Check locally to see if your program accepts them.
Paper
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The 60 percent of paper recycled in the U.S. is made into products like cereal boxes, tissues, and file
folders.
Steel
America Recycles Day, a Keep America Beautiful Initiative
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Products such as structural sections and bridge spans use virtually 100 percent recycled steel.
Recycling is a multi-billion dollar industry that employs millions of Americans and helps advance our clean
energy economy.
The value lost by discarding packaging rather than recycling is estimated to be $11.4 billion. [As You Sow]
The average American generates 4.4 pounds per person, per day and 1.51 pounds per day of that was recycled
or composted. Collectively in the United States, we produced 254 million tons of municipal solid waste in 2013,
and recycled and composted 34.3 percent of that total. [EPA]
America Recycles Day, a Keep America Beautiful Initiative