Name:______Date:______Master the MRF Worksheet Following the tour of the Materials Recovery Facility, students should be able to answer the following questions.
1. The “tip fee” for one ton of recycling at this MRF is ______the tip fee for one ton of landfill-bound trash at a transfer station. a. more than b. less than c. the same as
2. What does the acronym “MRF” stand for? ______
3. Explain why the above answer is important when deciding in which bin something goes (trash or recycling)?
4. True or False: This MRF operates as a single stream facility; all materials arrive mixed together.
5. What is one benefit of this type of system? ______
6. What is one drawback? ______
7. What’s the most difficult material for this MRF to fully recycle? ______
8. Name 2 items that do NOT belong in the blue bin: ______
9. What’s the most valuable plastic sorted at this MRF? ______
10. True or False: Recycling creates more jobs than landfilling materials.
11. Which of the following is NOT accepted at this MRF. a. Rinsed milk jugs b. dirty yogurt cups c. dry newspaper d. empty aerosol cans
12. List three benefits of recycling: ______
______
13. By weight, what is one of the most abundant type of material received at this MRF? a. Plastic b. Metal c. Paper/Fiber d. Glass
14. What do you do at home or school to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle?
Congratulations--You’ve Mastered the MRF!
Last updated 9/26/17
Across
1. Acronym (abbreviation) for the company who owns the MRF 5. The type of recycling stream where all materials arrive at the MRF mixed together 6. Resin number for PET plastic 8. Recycle facilities create more of these than landfill operations 9. A large cube of one material at the MRF 10. To use over and over again
Down
1. Company who operates the MRF 2. Plastic bags can be recycled at this type of store but NOT at the MRF 3. The 'R' in MRF 4. Resin codes are found on this type of material only 7. Name of the chasing arrows symbol for recycling
9/20/2017 Answer Key
Across
1. CSWD—Acronym (abbreviation) for the company who owns the MRF 5. SINGLE—The type of recycling stream where all materials arrive at the MRF mixed together 6. ONE—Resin number for PET plastic 8. JOBS—Recycle facilities create more of these than landfill operations 9. BALE—a large cube of one material at the MRF 10. REUSE—To use over and over again
Down
1. CASELLA—Company who operates teh MRF 2. GROCERY—plastic bags can be recycled at this type of store but NOT at the MRF 3. RECOVERY—The 'R' in MRF 4. PLASTIC—Resin codes are foudn on ths type of material only 7. MOBIUS—chasing arrows symbol for recycling
9/20/2017 Name:______Date:______
Master the MRF Worksheet-Answer Key
1. The “tip fee” for one ton of recycling at this MRF is ______the tip fee for one ton of landfill-bound trash at a transfer station. a. more than b. less than c. the same as
2. What does the acronym “MRF” stand for? Materials Recovery Facility
3. Explain why the above answer is important when deciding in which bin something goes (trash or recycling)? If it costs more to dispose of recyclable materials as ‘trash’ than it does to recycle them. A ton of plastic bottles would cost about $120 to dispose of in a landfill but only $21 to drop off at the MRF; a savings of $99 per ton.
4. True or False: This MRF operates as a single stream facility; all materials arrive mixed together.
5. What is one benefit of this type of system? It increases public participation in recycling b/c they don’t have to sort out their stuff. It makes curbside collection more efficient and economical for haulers as well as more environmentally sound.
6. What is one drawback? It takes more time and effort to sort the materials once they arrive at the MRF as well as increased cost of labor and equipment. People tend to put more unacceptable materials in the blue bin thinking it will all get sorted out or recycled at the MRF.
7. What’s the most difficult material for this MRF to fully recycle? Glass
8. Name 2 items that do NOT belong in the blue bin: plastic film like grocery bags (flip-floppy plastic), items less than 2 inches in 2 directions (smaller than a squirrel’s head), Styrofoam, scrap metal like propane tanks, clothes, black plastic, milk or juice cartons, coffee cups 9. What’s the most valuable plastic sorted at this MRF? HDPE #2 Natural: it can be made into a variety of colors whereas the HDPE #2 Colored can only be the color it started as (or brown if mixed together).
10. True or False: Recycling creates more jobs than landfilling materials.
11. Which of the following is NOT accepted at this MRF. a. Rinsed milk jugs b. dirty yogurt cups c. dry newspaper d. empty aerosol cans
12. List three benefits of recycling: Saves natural resources (and ecosystems/biodiversity), saves energy, saves space in the landfill, cheaper than landfilling, creates jobs, decreases carbon emissions, creates innovation for new technologies, decreased pollution, boosts the economy
13. By weight, what is the most abundant type of material received at this MRF? a. Plastic b. Metal c. Paper/Fiber d. Glass
Last updated 9/26/17