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Sacramento, CA - The
biggest football weekend of the year is
almost here, and Californians will be
rushing for beverages in record numbers.
Unfortunately, many will take a pass on
recycling their empty bottles and cans.
In advance of the Super Bowl, the
California Department of Conservation is
releasing its own pre-game stats: a
massive number of glass, plastic and
aluminum beverage containers will never
get back on the playing field because
they needlessly end up in trashcans
after the game.
Over the course of
the three-day weekend, the Department of
Conservation estimates that more than 42
million containers of beer, soda, water
and other refreshments will be thrown in
the trash instead of redeemed for cash
and then recycled. This means
Californians will send almost 14 million
aluminum cans, glass bottles and plastic
bottles into early retirement each day.
On a national scale, the estimated 2.8
billion beverage containers disposed of
in the week leading up to the Super Bowl
would be enough to fill the Houston
Reliant Stadium's playing field to the
top of the 265-foot-high roof three
times.
“Super Bowl weekend is a crucial time to
remind consumers that they should win
one for the environment by recycling
their beverage containers,” said Darryl
Young, director of the Department of
Conservation. “Millions of beverage
containers will have career-ending
injuries this weekend unless we make a
commitment to recycle them. Californians
should be aware they can save landfill
space and natural resources, and get
cash by redeeming their California
Refund Value beverage containers at
recycling centers.”
In California, 42 million containers
represent almost $1 million dollars in
California Refund Value (CRV). To put
that in perspective, there will be
enough CRV thrown in the trash to buy
320 tickets to the game, or about one
million bottles of beer for the world’s
biggest Super Bowl party.
In addition to cash, these trashed
beverage containers represent a
substantial loss in resources. For
example, if recycled, there would be
enough clear plastic bottles – about 11
million -- to make 780,000 New England
Patriots and Carolina Panthers t-shirts,
173,000 team sweaters or enough
carpeting to cover 52 playing fields.
Each aluminum can recycled saves enough
energy to run a television for nearly
three hours, roughly the time it takes
to watch the Super Bowl. And glass can
be recycled over and over again into new
glass, saving energy each time.
“Recycling bottles
and cans is easy if consumers just have
a good game plan,” explained Young. “For
example, if you are expecting guests for
the game, simply set out a separate box
or bag near your trashcan that is
clearly marked for recycling empty
bottles and cans. If you’ve got kids,
put them in charge of the recycling bins
and let them keep the cash they get at
the recycling center. ”
Consumers can find
their nearest recycling center by
calling 1-800-RECYCLE or visiting
www.bottlesandcans.com and using the
recycling center locater by zip code.
In addition to
promoting beverage container recycling,
the Department of Conservation maps and
studies earthquakes and other geologic
phenomena, classifies areas containing
mineral deposits; ensures reclamation of
land used for mining; regulates oil, gas
and geothermal wells; and administers
agricultural and open-space land
conservation programs.
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