November 15, 2024

Truth or Myth? Curbside Recycling Basics

This blog is part of our “Boost Your Recycling Knowledge” series.

In order to grow the circular economy that reuses recycled content, we need to feed our curbside bins with quality recycling materials.

We all know that glass, aluminum, plastic, paper and cardboard should go in the curbside recycling bin. But which plastics? Junk mail too? What about plastic bags?

Recycling Do’s and Don’ts

Here are a few key practices that will maximize your recycling efforts.

When in doubt, check the RecycleSmart MA Recyclopedia.

Which plastics CAN go in your recycling bin?

To simplify things, repeat this mantra:

“I should recycle bottles, jars, jugs and tubs from kitchen, bath, and laundry“

Recycle bottles, jars, jugs and tubs
from
kitchen, bath, and laundry.

Don’t worry about the plastic recycling numbers, focus on the shape. If it’s a clean and empty plastic bottle, jar, jug or tub, it can be recycled in Massachusetts. There are a few exceptions (clean clear plastic cups and plastic egg cartons = yes!), but on the whole, this rule of thumb really works.

We’ve grown up believing that everything with a number encased in the chasing arrows recycling symbol is recyclable. It is not. This merely indicates an industry coding system that identifies the type of plastic used to make an item. Many non-recyclable items display the code, so it’s NOT a good indication of whether something is recyclable.

Black plastic. Though black plastic is made of recycled content, it is the end of the line and cannot be further recycled. Black plastic cannot be recycled curbside. Reuse, or put it in your trash.

Film plastic: bread bags, bubble wrap, shipping envelopes, newspaper bags, ziploc bags, dry cleaning bags, clear stretchy packaging, etc. Film plastic cannot be recycled curbside, but is accepted at most supermarkets.

Cardboard & Paper

The increase in online shopping has increased the demand for cardboard. Most cardboard, by nature, is made from recycled materials and all types of cardboard (especially boxes!) belong in your curbside recycling bin.

And yes, pizza boxes are OK as long as there’s no leftover food inside.

As for paper, if you can rip it, you can recycle it (i.e. no coffee cups or wax boxes). Junk mail, staples, paper clips, binders and the plastic windows on envelopes are all OK because they are weeded out through the recycling process.

Boxed wax cartons. These juice, soup, milk and boxed water containers are made of mixed materials that cannot be recycled at our materials recycling facility (MRF). Just throw them in the trash. Better yet, next time, purchase these products in metal, glass or plastic containers.

Compostable takeout containers. BPI certified compostable ware is not recyclable, but can be included in curbside subscription organics collection (that can generate enough heat to break the material down). To be certain, check with your curbside composting service to see what is allowed in their bin. Otherwise, throw them in the trash.

Additional tips for the Recycling Pro

Ok, so now you’re excited and want to know how you can go even further? Follow these guidelines to reduce recycling contamination.

Don’t put anything smaller than a credit card in the bin. It will end up falling through the sorting machines and end up as trash anyway (i.e. ketchup cups, shredded paper, straws, plastic caps (unless screwed on plastic bottles), etc.).
Tanglers (plastic bags, hoses, wires, chains, ropes, string lights) belong in the trash. When they are mixed with recycling, they can tangle the sorting machinery which can become hazardous for workers and shut down machines.
Only recycle glass bottles and jars, nothing else. No Pyrex, drinking glass, or ceramics because they melt at different temperatures and become contamination.
Batteries and singing greeting cards belong in the trash since they are a fire hazard.

We hope we’ve given you some useful tools to become a more effective recycler. Remember, hard plastic vessels filled with materials you put in or on your body should all go in your curbside recycling bin. Trash the rest to keep our recycling stream strong.

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