All right, campers: Two common recycling misconceptions!
Monday, September 26, 2011
by Ethan Fuirst
At last week’s Community Day, New Castle’s Sustainability Advisory Board ran a recycling quiz to see how well our community recycles. We found that although many people recycle the basics (water bottles, newspapers, yogurt containers, etc.), few knew what to do with the confusing may-be-recyclables. From our on-the-spot research, we’ve come up with the two most common misconceptions out there. Want to guess what they were?
Styrofoam
Number One Misconception, we found, was that people assumed styrofoam to be unrecyclable when in reality it can be recycled.
The key to finding out if something plastic is recyclable is to look for the recycling number. This number (1-7) located in a small recycling symbol on the bottom of plastic containers corresponds with the type of plastic the container is made of. In New Castle we are able to recycle numbers 1 through 7.
Styrofoam, as a number 6 plastic, is a very difficult to recycle and isn’t accepted in most communities. However, here in New Castle, we are very lucky to be able to recycle number 6 plastics (including sytrofoam). As long as the sytrofoam is relatively clean (shake out or scrape away any large food particles), it can be recycled. So sytrofoam take out trays, egg cartons, coffee cups, etc. can and should be recycled.
Waxed beverage cartons
Number Two Misconception: Although many of you thought that milk and juice cartons were recyclable, sadly, they are not. And that’s not really wax that coats them. It’s polyethylene, a plastic, both inside and outside. And because they’re made of mixed materials (paperboard lined with plastic), they cannot be recycled.
On the other hand, plastic jugs that are used to hold similar beverages can be recycled. So when shopping, try to purchase milk and juice in plastic jugs that can be recycled instead of waxy cartons that cannot.
Action Items
So read your styrofoam’s number, recycle those that have a ‘6’ in the recycle triangle icon. And change from purchasing milk in cartons to plastic jug milk containers instead.
Does this help? Please let us know in Comments below.
Ethan Fuirst is a junior at Greeley where he heads the environmental club STOP—“Students and Teachers for Our Planet.” He is also deputy chair of New Castle’s Sustainability Advisory Board.
Ethan,
Thank you so much for this information. My family and I learned something new today!
-Shobha
What about tops for water bottles? Are they recyclable?
My wife and I pick up roadside trash when we walk our dog and then put appropriate materials into the recycling bin each week. This information helps us get more of that material into recycling. Thanks!
Sadly, I didn’t realize that the milk and juice cartons were not recyclable. Thanks for letting us know. I plan to use plastic whenever I can.
But what about glass instead? Which is better?
Well done Ethan!!
Dear Recycling Expert:
My daughter has outgrown her plastic slide, her Flintstone type car and kitchen sets from Fisher Price (now that she is in college)! Can those be recycled? Also, are paper back and hardcover books recyclable?
Thanks,
Grieving Mom Cleaning Youngest Daughters Stuff 20 years later…
Thank you! This is great information! More, please! Marlene
Thank you, Ethan, for this info. We ARE kind of like campers on this Earth and should be as conscientious about recycling here in our homes as we are when camping.
will check into that in NE. I love keeping tabs on Chap. my sister MO loved it there. mrs
For “Grieving Mom”: All of the items you mention can be brought to the Take it or Leave it area at the recycling center here in town on Saturday before noon. Books can also be donated to the library book sale in June.
WOW ETHAN THAT IS SOOOOO COOL. I AM PROUD!! And what about some other things that are recycled when they really shouldn’t be?
Thank you, this is so helpful to know, particularly the styrofoam info.
Is there a way to recycle plastic forks, spoons and knives ?
What is the proper way to dispose of treated lumber used to make outdoor playsets that are no longer needed? And what about the plastic slide? (They are not in condition to re-use or repair or repurpose.)
Also, are the hangers I get with my cleaned and starched shirts that I wear so I can get on the train to busy town and pay for all this, are they recyclable other than returning them to the cleaner? What about the plastic bags from the cleaner? Can I put them in the same bin at the grocery that collects their plastic bags?
Dear Concerned Citizen and Ethan!
Instead of getting milk in cartons, you can get delivery in glass bottles that are reused by the company that delivers milk.
We get our milk delivered for about $18/wk. It is great quality, & milk from grass fed cows whether full fat or skim is all good for kids (not the bad cholesterol).
Kudos Ethan, and if you haven’t read Garbageland: On the Secret Tail of Trash by Elizabeth Royte, a fantastic book, I highly recommend it!
Heather Baker-Sullivan (yes, Annabel and Olivia’s mom)
I’d like to know more about recycling plastic bags. I always recycle the plastic bags in which the newspapers are delivered in the morning, supermarket plastic bags, and the bags that into which the supermarkets put cold cuts. Are there others which can be recycled as well?
Thanks for the great information re styrofoam and waxed containers.
Great job! Here are some further tips on recycling:
Unless they are the thinner, translucent soft caps that now come on some water bottles, plastic caps should NOT go into the recycle bin with bottles. They cause recycling plant nightmares, requiring repairs of the recycling machinery.
Unfortunately the only place that takes back plastic caps for recycling are Aveda stores (there’s one in The Westchester). You can bring collected tops there and they turn them into their bottles for their haircare and skincare products. Schools and groups can collect the caps and bring them in large quantities to the store, or you can ship directly to the Aveda home office if you don’t mind the shipping cost. They can certainly be used for recycled art projects in class.
Cutlery: Since New Castle takes #6 recyclables, plastic forks, spoons, knives can also go in the recycle bin. And don’t waste the water to wash them first, there is not enough waste on them to bother.
Hangers: Most cleaners gladly take back used wire hangers. They re-use them if possible or they can recycle them. Places that pick up cleaning allow you to put used hangers right in the cleaning bag with your dirty clothes.
Keep up the good work Ethan!
Hello Ethan - thank you for this useful information.
In terms of recycling paper, I have a question regarding tissue, NOT sneeze-receiving tissue, but the tissue sometimes used to wrap gifts in, and often used to protect items in nice little shopping bags (such as a gal might receive from Marmalade, or Desires by Mikolay…)
This tissue - sometimes colored, often white - is it recyclable?
Can I put it in with my newspapers?
I look forward to your answer and future wisdom.
