Rethinking Recycling with ReWorks

by Marcie E. Kress, Executive Director, ReWorks

During the holidays, you might find yourself with more materials to recycle. Many have found themselves in a discussion of what can be placed into their recycling carts.

So, what goes in your recycling cart at home?

-Cardboard

-Cartons

-Metal food and beverage cans

-Paper

-Plastic bottles and jugs

All recyclables should be clean, empty, and not bagged.

Have something not on that list? Don’t put it in your recycling cart at home. It needs to go somewhere else. Take-out food containers? Reuse them or place in the trash. Used holiday wrapping paper, ribbons and bows? Reuse if you can, otherwise, to the trash they go. Paper towels? Compost them at home or trash. Old clothes? Donate them. Old clothes that are damaged? Reuse as rags or place in your trash.

Putting the wrong materials in your recycling cart causes contamination. Contamination makes sorting recyclables harder. Recycling works best and has the best chance at being successful when there is little to no contamination.

Some tips when prepping materials for your recycling cart:

Cardboard: make sure the cardboard is clean (no food or oils), empty, not bagged, and flattened.

Cartons: Don’t flatten cartons, and it is okay to keep the plastic spout attached.

Metal food and beverage cans: Do not include metal hangers, scrap metal, lawn mower blades, metal pipes or other metal objects in your curbside recycling. However, these items can be recycled at a scrap-metal yard.

Paper: Do not put shredded paper in curbside recycling programs. Shredded paper contaminates other recyclables.

Plastic bottles and jugs: Should be clean, empty, not bagged, and lids removed (lids are too small to be captured at recycling centers).

ReWorks, the solid waste management authority for all of Summit County, provides programs, services and community outreach on waste reduction, recycling and other materials management strategies.

For more information, visit www.summitreworks.com or call 330-374-0383. Email us at: talk@summitreworks.com.

Marcie E. Kress, Executive Director, ReWorks

Sponsored By

2711 West Market St. Unit 13620, Fairlawn, OH 44333
www.summitreworks.com • 330-374-0383

Opinions and claims expressed above are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of ScripType Publishing.