No More "Wishful" Recycling

With China cracking down on the contaminants it will accept in recycled materials, we must all reconsider what we place in the recycling bin.

As the News-Register recently reported, the era of "wishful recycling" is over.

Our waste handlers tend to bundle materials together and let subcontractor recycling specialists sort the "good" recyclables from the "bad" waste.  To make a profit, the sorters need to work quickly, which is great when the correct items have been placed in the right bin.

Food waste in a paper bin can cause the entire bin to be landfilled rather than recycled.  "Compostable" materials run through a recycler can foul up the machine.  Ditto plastic bags.

Waste Management lists acceptable recyclables on its website, http://www.wmnorthwest.com/yamhillcounty/recycling.html.  Most of these items are illustrated in a colorful poster: 

We are checking with Riverbend to see if this same list of materials can be recycled there.

Recology has a slightly different list.  For example, Recology will not accept milk cartons.  A good list of items Recology will recycle has been issued by the Del Norte, California, Recology, and published by the Del Norte Triplicate at http://www.triplicate.com/news/5009356-151/recology-solid-waste-trying-to-keep-garbage-out.

Locally, Zero Waste McMinnville also frequently runs items on their blog about acceptable recyclables.  Check them out before you toss that "wishful" recycling item in your cart!