Putting Recycling out in Plastic Trash Bags
This morning was the start of a new school year. In addition, it is recycling day for our
neighborhood. Our daughter has just started going to a new school in our school district, that is basically down the street from the back of our home. So yes, she has decided this year, her and her friends are going to walk to school. Me being the dad I am, agree and I am excited for her, but dad will not be far behind in watching and making sure her and her friends make it safely to school. During our walk to school this morning, I noticed my neighbors recycle out to the curb. Some items are in bins and totes that are provided by the recycle collector and others are in the traditional plastic trash bag.
Even though we would think, hey if I run out of room or do not have a recycle bin or tote, I can just use a traditional plastic trash bag to recycle. Unfortunately, this is incorrect, even though many do use these bags to put recycling out. The problem starts when these bags reach the recycling centers, as these bags themselves can cause significant and at times costly damage
to the recycling machines at the recycling centers. At a minimum, when these bags are put in the recycling process, it slows or stops the processes as it is put in the machines. These bags get caught in the machine, causing operators to have to stop the recycling process and clear the bags out of the machine, or at the very least the operators have to open each plastic trash bag and dump the recycled materials out and dispose separately of the plastic trash bag. This adds significant time and cost to the recycling processes. Another unfortunate thing to using the plastic bags, is that there can be so many that are turned in by the community during recycling, that the center will have no choice but to discard the whole bag to the trash targeted for landfills, recyclable materials and all.
Please, if you do not have the proper recycle bins or Totes, or need something bigger than a bin, contact your local recycling service and request the proper container.
