In December, Mrs. Mott’s AP Environmental science class visited the Green Stream Recycling Facility. They were given a fascinating tour of the area. Students saw how Long Island recycles and uses sustainable methods to dispose of garbage.

Interestingly, Long Island adopted a new recycling process called single-stream recycling which uses one container for all recyclable materials. Later, these items are stored and processed in a different facility. One huge advantage of this system is that people do not have to separate their recyclable material. This can promote consumer recycling since there is no hassle caused by dividing items. Also, it is inexpensive to process and there are lower levels of contamination. This process is very simple and can easily be adapted.

There was a lot of work happening when students arrived. Conveyors were rolling with garbage, magnets were separating the metals, waste was being packed into perfect squares, and trucks were loading the garbage into mountains. Overall, the trip was interesting and very informative. You should head to the facility to learn more about how your materials are being recycled!    

Picture Attribution: IndiaCelebrating.com