America Recycles Day was held Nov. 15 to remind Americans to reduce, reuse, recycle, and buy recycled products.

Rimrock Recycling champions recycling in Harney County and is open for public recycling on Fridays and Saturdays.

The local recycling endeavor is a collaborative effort that includes:

• Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC), which accepts compact florescent lightbulbs;

• Parr Lumber, which  accepts old paint;

• C&B Sanitary, which has collection areas for scrap metal, ecycle, and cardboard; and

• business that use waste oil to heat their facilities.

Research has shown that each person will produce 64 tons of waste that ends up in a landfill during their lifetime.

In addition to reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators, recycling has numerous benefits, including:

• conserving natural resources such as timber, water, and minerals;

• increasing economic security by tapping a domestic source of materials;

• preventing pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials;

• saving energy;

• supporting American manufacturing and conserving valuable resources; and

• helping to create new well-paying jobs in the recycling and manufacturing industries in the United States.

Rimrock Recycling is researching methods to remanufacture plastics into useful products such as flower pots, bricks, frames for raised gardens, filler for flower pots, paving stones, etc. Rimrock is also asking the public to submit ideas for other products. Experiments will be done on various processes such as aircrete, plastocrete, and hot press.

A Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) grant is being used to support this research. Other grants are also being researched. Donations to show public support of this effort will help with matching funds for grants.

Volunteers are needed to help with this project. If you would like to volunteer for a committee or hands-on work, contact Becky at 541-589-0840.

America Recycles Day is a great opportunity to reevaluate your recycling efforts, compost your food waste, and reuse your shopping bags. When shopping, ask yourself if the packaging is locally recyclable. If possible, choose recycled products that will reduce the amount of waste going into your trash can.