When
leaving recyclables at the
drop-off, it is very important to remove them from bags and to cut any
ties or binding around papers.
The recyclable material is taken to a Material Recycling Facility (MRF)
where it is dumped onto a fast-moving conveyor belt. Workers and
machines sort the material into the proper categories.
Bags, bindings and non-recyclable items make it hard to properly sort
the material, jams up machines, and may cause recyclables to end up in
the landfill. |
Shopping bags: Currently, there are very limited
end uses to recycling plastic shopping bags, like those commonly found
in grocery and department stores. Unfortunately, even if added to
recycling bins or drop-offs, they will be pulled out and thrown away.
Avoid contaminating recycling by throwing away until a secured place to
recycle them can be found.
Caps or non-bottle plastic items: Caps are not made of the same
plastic as the bottles they are on. Any other type of plastic item
(toys, clothes hangers, trays, plates, etc.) also cannot be
recycled, so they end up becoming a contaminate in the system. Please
throw away.
Plastics #3, 4, 5, 6 &7: Currently, limited markets exist
for these types of plastics. Even though they may be bottles, they are
made from different kinds of material. Look on the bottle itself to tell
what type of number it is. You will find it inside a recycling
symbol. Please throw these numbers away.
Butter or Cool Whip-type bowls: Although they are marked # 2
plastic, these containers have a chemical additive that makes them act
negatively in the recycling process.
Coat hangers & steel scrap: Due to the relatively small
volume generated by residential recycling, these are not accepted. If
you have a quantity of this material, try contacting your local scrap
dealer.
Windows, drinking glasses or light bulbs: These types of glass
are chemically different. Some even contain lead, making them
contaminates. Throw away with regular trash. |
2004
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