Why should I recycle?

In addition to the environmental benefits, there are significant financial advantages to Amherst when we recycle. The cost to dispose of a ton of trash in 2009 is $80.23; in 2008 Amherst paid $262,705.82 just for trash disposal. In spite of a collapsed market, during the same time period the average value from recycled material was $66 per ton. The value of $66/ton of recycled material represents the combination of revenue generated from the recycled material plus the savings realized by not disposing the material in the trash. In 2008 the total value to Amherst of recycled material was $59,676!

The cost of trash disposal will continue to rise each year, and, while the revenue from recycling fluctuates from month to month and year to year, it has tended to increase over time. Hence the more we recycle and the less we throw in the trash, the more we will reduce costs to Amherst.