Blog: Waste Not Blog

What's Your Solid Waste I.Q.? - Curbside Recycling

1. What is the proper way to recycle empty plastic bags or plastic films (like sandwich bags and plastic wraps)?

A. Plastic bags/films are not recyclable. - INCORRECT. Plastic bags/films can be recycled by taking them to designated bins at local grocery and home improvement stores. There are also many opportunities to reuse plastic bags and films in your home – food storage, pet waste pickup, bathroom trash liners, packing material are all good re-uses for plastic bags.

B. In your curbside recycling cart, separated by single bags/films so that they can be easily sorted. - INCORRECT. Plastic bags/films are not accepted in the curbside recycling cart. They are made with a low-grade plastic that is not easily recyclable, plus they tangle and break down the sorting machines at the recycling facility.

C. In your curbside recycling cart, wadded into one plastic bag/film so that they can be easily sorted. - INCORRECT. Plastic bags/films are not accepted in the curbside recycling cart.

(D.) Plastic bags/films are not permitted in curbside recycling carts, but can be recycled in designated bins at local grocery and home improvement stores. - CORRECT ANSWER! Many grocery and home improvement stores have these designated bins located either right inside or JUST outside their entrances. Make sure your bags are clean and dry in order to be recycled—or better yet, use reusable bags!

2. What should you do if your curbside recycling cart is full, but you have more recyclables?

A. Excess recyclables must be brought to any of the recycling drop off centers. - INCORRECT. While you are always welcome to use any of the thirteen recycling drop-off centers located in the city or county limits (click HERE for more), you have another option...

B. Excess recyclables can be placed in a cardboard box, paper bag, or a reusable container clearly marked “RECYCLING” and placed next to your City-issued recycling cart. - CORRECT ANSWER! When following these guidelines (see photo below), you are strongly encouraged to place excess recyclables at your curbside. The more, the merrier!

Proper excess recycling at curbside

C. You need to call 311 to order another recycling cart if you want to have additional recycling collected. - INCORRECT. The City only issues one recycling cart per household, and there's a waiting list. If you don't already have a recycling cart, then please call 311 to get on the list today! If you already have a cart, please place your excess recycling in cardboard boxes, paper bags, or reusable containers next to your curbside recycling cart.

D. Excess recyclables can be placed in a garbage or other plastic bag and placed next to your City-issued recycling cart. - INCORRECT. In this case, the excess recycling would not be collected because plastic bags are not recyclable.

3. Which of the following items are considered "tanglers" and are not accepted in curbside recycling because they damage sorting machines at recycling facilities?

A. Garden hoses
B. Cardboard wrapping paper tubes
C. Electric cords
D. Christmas Lights
E. Plastic Bags
F. Ropes
G. String
H. All of the above
I. All of the above, except B - CORRECT ANSWER! Cardboard wrapping paper tubes are recyclable and don’t tangle the sorting equipment. None of the other items are recyclable in either the curbside recycling carts or at the City’s recycling drop off centers.

Posted by tmcdonell On 28 December, 2018 at 10:19 AM