In single-flow programs, bottles, cans and other containers, as well as paper grades, come together in a single recycling bin. And remember, THERE ARE NO PLASTIC BAGS of any kind. Please recycle in your supermarket or large store. Download this simple cheat sheet to get started.
Over the past 10 years, Camden County, like many other places, began single-stream recycling, where residents combine all recyclables into a single bin for collection. Over the years, there have been several major changes to items that are acceptable and unacceptable in single-flow recycling programs. Recycling is always growing and, in many ways, markets around the world can have a profound effect on our daily behavior. Remember that it’s always a good idea to read the labels and look for the most up-to-date information about your municipality’s recycling program.
What could have been recyclable yesterday, may not yet be recyclable today. While primary recyclables have remained the same, some municipalities have different specifications for what is acceptable. Below are the most common questions asked about single-stream recycling. Most of the answers to these questions are consistent across the recycling industry.
Read the following information carefully, because a lack of attention to detail can make the difference between doing the right thing and doing what is wrong. Why have recycling rules changed? AT. The fact is that the “rules for recycling” have not changed significantly. End-market specifications for recycled materials have tightened, making non-recyclable items in their curbside bin a bigger problem for facilities that separate and process what you place in that bin.
The fact is that these non-recyclable items should never be placed in your recycling bin. For this reason, the County and its municipalities have stepped up their educational efforts to keep these items out of the recycling stream. Can I recycle plastic bags in my curbside recycling bin? AT. NO, NO, NO: You can’t recycle any type of plastic bag in your curbside residential bin.
Plastic bags are a contaminant in Single Stream residential recycling and are considered to be the most problematic pollutant found in curbside recycling mix. Plastic bags interfere with the mechanical recycling process by causing, slowing down, stopping and damaging the recycling processing equipment in the recycling processing plant. Plastic bags should never be placed in the recycling bin. Can plastic or bubble wrap be recycled in my curbside recycling bin? AT.
NO- Plastic wrap of any type is not recyclable in the curbside mix, regardless of whether it has recycling labels. All plastic packaging materials must be placed in the garbage container. Can shredded paper go to my curbside recycling bin? AT. NO: Unfortunately, shredded paper cannot be recycled on the sidewalk, as this material cannot be processed properly, as the equipment in the recycling plant is not designed to handle shredded paper.
Therefore, it poses sorting problems when mixed with other commodities. Place all the shredded paper in your normal trash can. Can I recycle pizza boxes in my curbside recycling bin? AT. As a rule, NO, pizza boxes should go to the trash.
However, if the box is completely clean, with no food residue or oil, it can be recycled into the curbside mix. What should I do with frozen food boxes and boxes? AT. They should be placed in normal trash. Frozen food containers, including ice cream containers, are plastic-lined and cannot be recycled on the sidewalk.
Can styrofoam be recycled in my curbside recycling bin? AT. NO: Styrofoam cannot be recycled into the curb mix. Please place all of the polystyrene foam in your trash bin. Can I recycle books in my curbside recycling bin? AT.
All paperback books can be placed in their curbside recycling bin. Hardcover books need to be removed first. Then, the lid must be placed in the garbage container. The remaining pages can be placed in your curbside recycling bin.
Can paper towels, napkins, plates and paper cups be recycled in my curbside recycling bin? AT. NO: All paper food products and toiletries must be placed in the trash bin. Can ceramic mugs be placed in my curbside recycling bin? AT. These items must be placed in the trash bin.
Can I place other glass items, such as mirrors or window glass, in my curbside recycling bin?. This glass is a different type of glass than what is used to make glass bottles and jars. For this reason, in addition to safety reasons, these glassware must be placed in the garbage container. Can I recycle clothes and rags in my curbside recycling bin? AT.
NO: We recommend donating reusable textiles to an appropriate organization that accepts such items. Unusable rags and textiles should be placed in the garbage container. Can I recycle molded plastic furniture or toys in my curbside recycling bin? AT. NO: All rigid plastic furniture and toys must be donated to an appropriate organization or otherwise placed in the usual trash.
How about the 5 gallon plastic buckets that contain some paints, pool chemicals, food, etc. Enter? Can they be recycled in my curbside recycling bin? AT. These ribbed plastic containers should be placed in the trash bin. Can any type of metal be placed in my curbside recycling bin? AT.
Only steel and aluminum containers for food and beverages should be placed in the curbside recycling bin. What can I do with the scrap metal in my house? AT. Contact the municipal public works department for scrap metal recycling options or log in to the Recycling Trainer and follow the instructions for P recycling options. Can the needles in my curbside recycling bin be recycled? AT.
NO: Residential medical needles should be secured in a rigid container and placed in normal trash. Medical waste of any kind should not be placed in the curbside recycling bin. Can staples, paper clips, and envelopes with plastic windows fit in my curbside recycling bin? AT. YES, no need to remove clips or staples from multiple sheets of paper.
Can I recycle baby diapers in my curbside recycling bin? AT. NO- Baby diapers made of any material should be thrown away in the normal trash Q. Can the plastic caps in my curbside recycling bin be recycled? AT. NO- Plastic lids should be removed from the bin and placed in the trash bin.
Can I put a box of ice cream in my curbside recycling bin? AT. NO: All cardboard containers intended for use in the freezer must be placed in their normal trash bin. Can I recycle aluminum foil in my curbside recycling bin? AT. NO- All aluminum, except cans, should be placed in your normal trash can.
Can I recycle glossy magazines in my curbside recycling bin? AT. YES- All magazines, literature, envelopes, brochures, greeting cards, and paperback books are recyclable and must be stored in their curbside bin. Fair Haven Township has single-stream recycle collection service every Wednesday. Single-flow recycling is a system in which all recyclable materials, including newspapers, cardboard, plastic, aluminum, junk mail, etc.
The Borough provides one 95-gallon recycling can per household. Have your Blue Recycle can on the curbside by Tuesday night for pickup. In addition, these plastics tend to contribute to greater contamination from food waste in the “single flow” mix, resulting in poorer quality of the cardboard and paper being marketed for recycling. This type of material in the single-flow recycling stream can cause damage to equipment and injury to workers.
To reduce costs, Oakland and several other municipalities and counties have switched from a single-flow recycling method to a twin-flow method, which requires that paper and cardboard be kept separate from plastic, glass and cans. Single-use bags can be returned to some supermarkets for recycling, but they are increasingly banned across New Jersey. Ron Lottermann, recycling coordinator for Fair Lawn, said his city has been pressuring residents to produce cleaner recyclables for two years and is making inroads. Curbside recycling, once a green source of profit in many cities, has become another built-in cost that taxpayers must bear due to a series of changes in the market.
PLEASE REFRAIN FROM PLACING TRASH, WEEDS, LEAVES, GARDEN WASTE AND GRASS CLIPPINGS IN YOUR BIN. Recycling, the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be disposed of as garbage and turning them into new products, benefits the environment in many ways. Then, last summer, Fair Lawn officials hired people to check what their residents are throwing into their recycling barrels. The problem is that too much garbage or unwanted or dirty items were being mixed (and are) being mixed into the recycling stream, Kruzan said.
To reduce the costs of recycling operations, city officials recently decided to significantly reduce hours at their recycling center, saying residents can and should pick up their items on the curbside.