Letter to the editor

Think of a way to reuse recyclables here in the Valley for sale or donation to win

To the editor:

Imagine that someone keeps dumping a truckload of recyclables in your yard. Come to find out, Trump’s “The Apprentice“ producer did it to give you the chance to win a million dollars. All you have to do is think of a way to reuse them here in the Valley for sale or donation to win.

Wow! Ok! So you need to figure this out!

Recyclables collected here include aluminum (cans and thinner kitchen aluminum), steel cans, plastics, paper, corrugated cardboard, junk mail, cereal boxes, catalogs and magazines (in the mixed paper category), stretchy plastic film. Most of that goes south right now. Aluminum and steel would be hard to remanufacture here because of the high melting/forming temperatures – 780 and 3000 degrees F, respectively. That’s too costly.

How about stretchy plastic. Plastic bags and the like can be heated in cooking oil to allow for reshaping without causing toxic fumes. Now you just need to think of something to give or sell to people that’s useful.

Could you grind all that mixed paper into egg cartons, planting pots? Only half of the collected corrugated gets used here in Palmer to make insulation and hydro-seed. What could you make with the other half?

How can you transform that pile of stuff in your yard? Trump may not give you a million dollars, but Mid Valley Recycling (with funds from MatSu Health Foundation) may give you a thousand or two! It’s worth filling out the application. The deadline to apply was extended till April 30, so you have time to get the forms from taylorsammy230@gamil.com or go to the VCRS website.

Sammy Taylor,

Mid Valley Recycling