Recycling

We're back to the June Challenge for a bit. I haven't discussed recycling, yet, so let's get going on that. First, let's focus on how recycling programs work and what to do with questionable materials. Thanks to Taco for providing the information!

Recycling Overview:
Just because a material is “recyclable” does not mean that it is appropriate for curbside collection. Some considerations to determine what material is eligible for curbside pickup include:

• The material must have a stable market so that it can remain on the “ok” list indefinitely. Think of how confusing it would be if you got a flier from your waste collector every month telling you things that have been added to and removed from your list of accepted materials.
• The hauling and sorting machinery necessary to collect and separate the material from other materials must be available in the area. Otherwise “recyclable” materials will get comingled and contaminate each other.
• The material requires simple instructions for the public. The more confusing and difficult the recycling program, the less likely people are to use it and the more likely they are to do the wrong thing and cause contamination.
• “Contamination” can refer to food-soiled recyclables, but it can also refer to materials separated into the wrong place – such as plastic mixed in with your paper. This not only results in the loss of that material, but it may actually contaminate the other materials too, thus sending recyclable materials to the landfills.
• Different types of recycling programs include full source separation systems (keeping each material in its own separate bin) and comingled systems (where various different materials can be combined for collection). Full source separation is always best to minimize contamination, but is more difficult to administer and more difficult for casual recyclers to adhere to. Comingled systems result in slightly increased contamination rates, but due to their simplicity the participation rates are much higher.
• The typical comingled system sends mixed recyclables to a Material Recovery Facility, where a combination of mechanical and manual processes are used to separate everything into individual material streams. The first step for incoming material is to move along a fast conveyor belt past several hand-sorting stations, which usually serves to pull out as much trash as possible. Another area along the conveyor serves to separate out large corrugated cardboard pieces while allowing remaining material to fall through for further sorting. Some metal is sorted out using magnets while the non-magnetic metal is sorted by hand. Plastics and boxboard are also sorted by hand, leaving the remaining material which consists of paper (newspaper, office paper, etc.). Because the paper is the last material in the line it often contains the highest level of contamination, since it will contain any items that did not get sorted out properly earlier in the line - this is called a negatively sorted material. Positively sorted materials, such as the metal and plastic, have fewer contaminants because they are specifically pulled off the line (i.e. positively identified).
• Remember that recycling does not end in your curbside bin or at the recycling centers, but when you purchase goods that are made with recycled materials.

Factoids & frequently asked questions (as with any recycling information, especially for the folks outside of the Portland area, it’s always best to call your waste hauler to verify information since policies & practices differ greatly from area to area):

What should I do with plastic bags?

• Plastic bags cannot go into your curbside recycling bins because they jam the machinery at recycling facilities and cause safety risks for workers.
• Take clean, dry plastic bags to a grocery store collection point (ask if you have questions about which different types of bags they accept). Better yet, try reusable bags when you shop to avoid the plastic bags altogether.

Why does glass typically need to be kept separate in our curbside recycling programs?

• In markets where machinery is used to sort your comingled recyclables, glass can easily break which can hurt workers and damage the machinery. Keeping glass separate minimizes this safety risk.
• Always contact your waste hauler if you have questions about how materials must be separated prior to collection.
• Recycling one glass bottle saves enough energy to power a light bulb for four hours.
  Sending 10,000 tons of waste to the landfill supports six jobs, while recycling the same amount supports 36 jobs.
• Just by recycling, Portland residents and businesses save enough energy to power half the homes in Portland for an entire year.
• The Portland metro region recycles about $80 Million worth materials per year.

Where can I recycle light bulbs?

• CFL & fluorescent bulbs should be taken to your local hazardous materials depot due to the mercury they contain.
• Standard bulbs can be disposed of in the normal trash, or put onto craigslist for artists.

What can I do with metal spray cans?

• As long as they are empty, you can recycle these curbside after removing the lids.

Can I put lids and bottle caps in the curbside recycling bin?

• Plastic lids are flat and thus often get missed in the sorting process, which means they end up with the paper and can contaminate that recycling stream. Even if the lids are made of recyclable plastic, they should be recycled through an independent recycler who accepts them outside of your curbside program.
• Metal lids of jars, beer bottles, etc. are recyclable even with the rubber or plastic seal. To help the sorting process, put these smaller metal items into a metal can and crimp the lip of the can over to prevent the smaller items from falling out.

Do I need to remove staples, plastic envelope windows, spiral binders and sticky notes from my paper prior to recycling?

• No, these can all be removed during the paper recycling process.

Can I recycle shredded paper in my curbside bin?

• Call your hauler to be certain but usually YES. Also, you can avoid a mess by putting it in a paper bag and folding or stapling the top.
• Keep in mind that paper fibers can survive roughly 7 cycles through the recycling stream, since the fibers get smaller and smaller each time through the process.

Can I recycle delivery pizza boxes?

• Usually not, due to food contamination. Grease can attract vermin in the recycling centers and can contaminate other paper supplies that it contacts making them unusable. If the boxes are very clean (no grease), then they can be recycled.

Can I recycle frozen food boxes?

• No. These boxes have “wet strength” in order to protect the product within even in the freezer environment. This wet strength is achieved by weaving plastic in with the paper fibers, which cannot be separated out in the recycling process. Since plastic contaminates paper recycling, these frozen food boxes are unfortunately not recyclable.

What about milk cartons?

• Yes. Even though they hold liquid, these containers (called aseptic containers) typically get their moisture resistance from wax instead of plastic.

Can I recycle motor oil bottles? They have the little number on them.

• No, you can't recycle any plastic that has had hazardous materials in them, including motor oil, pesticides, etc. Assume that any recycled plastic will end up as a food conatainer.

What can I do with materials that I believe should be recyclable, but that are not accepted in my curbside collection program?

• For Portland area residents, you can contact the Metro recycling information hotline by website (www.metro-region.org/recycling) or phone (503-234-3000). They can assist you with questions regarding curbside recyclables as well as which local business accept non-curbside materials such as Styrofoam, plastic lids, take-out food clamshells, etc. In fact, they can also answer questions on composting, natural gardening, general garbage disposal, and hazardous waste. They are an invaluable resource!
• For non-Portland residents, try contacting your waste hauler to see what other businesses in the area might accept these items, or contact your local government to see if there are any other resources in your area.

Thanks!

Jason