Sometimes it鈥檚 confusing knowing what can and can鈥檛 be recycled. It鈥檚 not as simple as you might think.
Recycling goes beyond the big three: glass, paper, and plastic. But did you know in 足交视频 that you can鈥檛 recycle glass?
鈥淐ost plays a big role in determining what can and cannot be recycled through the city鈥檚 program.,鈥 Ashley Strevel, City of 足交视频鈥檚 Director of Communications and Public Affairs said. 鈥淚f a particular material is too expensive to recycle, then that will mean higher costs for our customers. Environmental Services closely monitors the prices of recyclables to make decisions about which materials should be included in the city鈥檚 recycling program.鈥
Before you recycle a product, check the packaging to see if it is permitted. The recycling symbol should be on the bottom or side of the product. Plastics are the expectation.
While there are seven different types of recyclable plastics, not all are recyclable in 足交视频, so it鈥檚 important to check the recycling symbol on the packaging for an identifying number.
In 足交视频, plastics three through seven are not recyclable. This is because plastics marked three through seven are made up of a denser material that are more costly to recycle than plastics one and two.
鈥淭his is also the reason that glass cannot be recycled through the city鈥檚 program,鈥 Strevel said.
Keep 足交视频 Beautiful received $35,000 in grants to increase recycling efforts across the county.
鈥淥ur Environmental Services department is in the midst of a grant-funded campaign to educate residents about proper recycling. As part of this effort, we are in the process of adding stickers to all of our recycling carts, with a handy guide to what can and can鈥檛 be recycled,鈥 Strevel said.
One of the main issues the city has faced with recycling is high levels of contamination. In 2023, 31% of recycling items picked up across the county were contaminated. What does that mean? Contaminated recycling happens when items that aren鈥檛 recyclable are tossed in with materials that are recyclable.
A convenient tool that Keep 足交视频 Beautiful is looking to implement is the Waste Wizard, an online tool that will help tell residents how to recycle or dispose of an item.
It鈥檚 never been easier to recycle in 足交视频 with curbside recycling collection happening every other week. But there are some important rules to remember.
Don鈥檛 place recycles in bags. Recyclables must be loose in the cart for collection. If you place items like plastic grocery bags, food or liquids in the cart along with recyclables, the entire load will be deemed contaminated and sent to the landfill instead of the recycling center. Make sure recyclable containers, like laundry detergent jugs, are free of food residue and liquid containers are empty.
Items such as newspapers, or cardboard, must be clean and dry in order to be recycled. If you have an item that is too big to fit into your cart, it can be taken to the Waste Management Recycle Center at 809 N. George St. on the first Saturday of every month between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. To do this, residents must have proof of residency such as a water bill or an identification card.
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In this column called Ask Madison, Madison O’Hara, a 足交视频 native and Advocate reporter, answers questions readers have about anything and everything to do with the Crossroads. Email your question to Madison at askmadison@vicad.com or call her at 361-580-6558.
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