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With new restrictions placed on what can and cannot be recycled, there is often some confusion about what we can place in our green recycling bins.
Here is a list provided by our trash hauler, Republic Services.
PAPER: Any paper document (staples are OK), newspapers, envelopes, mail, phone books, brochures, magazines.
PLASTIC: Water bottles, pop bottles, milk jugs, shampoo bottles, detergent containers (please remove food or liquids).
CARDBOARD: Flatten cardboard boxes, food boxes with liners removed, file folders, poster board.
METAL: Aluminum beverage cans, food cans (please remove food and liquids)
GLASS: Bottles and jars.
China is our major client for recyclables. Those recyclables come back to us in the form of knick knacks and other commercial products. But in many cases, our recyclables, especially plastics, arrive in China in unusable form – dirty or filled with food residue. Hence, the restrictions.
Pizza boxes are notorious for containing food, sauce and grease remnants. Don’t put those in the recycling bin. Also, don’t place plastic shopping bags or plastic wrap in the recycling bin. Some retail stores, such as Heinen’s and Giant Eagle, do accept plastic shopping bags for recycling.
Recycling is important and affects all of us. The amount we recycle decreases the amount of trash we dump in a landfill. That saves the City and taxpayers money because the City is charged per ton of waste it dumps. Recycling also is good for the environment. The more we recycle the less waste ends up polluting rivers and lakes or harming wildlife.
Please continue to recycle. Place items at curbside. Take part in the hazardous waste roundups, shred fests and electronics collections sponsored by the City of Berea and the Rotary Club of Berea. The next roundup will be Oct. 11-12 at the Service Garage.
By following the guidelines, recycling will benefit everyone.