November 2017

RECYCLING
WHAT TO PUT
IN, WHAT TO
LEAVE OUT
by Dan Mackey
For several years now, Broward
County residents have done
their part for our environment
by recycling. Gone are the days
of separating your recyclable
garbage in bins. Now we
have single stream recycling,
which allows putting all your
recyclable household waste all
together in those big heavy-duty
plastic carts on wheels.
But there is confusion among
homeowners about what does and does
not go into that indestructible curbside
cart.
First, never put plastic bags of any
kind in your cart. So many people use
supermarket shopping bags to hold
their recyclables and simply drop them
in their cart. The problem is companies
that process recyclable materials cannot
recycle those bags. They also tend to
get caught in the conveyor belt machines
and foul up the works. So, take them to
Publix or reuse them, but never put them
in your cart. Even better, use your own
cloth shopping bags instead.
Let’s start with what else you
cannot put into your recycling
cart.
• Food
• Batteries
• Plastic wrap/straws
• Styrofoam, food soiled plastic take-out
containers, or trays
• Certain glass products, including
window and auto glass, light bulbs,
mirrors, glass cookware, and other
ceramics
• Scrap metal
• Paint and pesticides
• Electronics and accessories
• Christmas lights
• Pharmaceuticals and medical waste
• Household garbage such as extension
cords, gas cylinders, tanks, building
debris, flammables, or small appliances
• Food-stained paper/cardboard or
waxed paper and cardboard
• Pizza boxes soiled with food
• Other plastics (toys, coat hangers,
cups, etc.)
• Yard waste
• Tires
A simple way to remember what can go
in is by the four household categories of
materials that are recyclable:
Paper and Cardboard Products:
Examples are newspapers and inserts
(removed from plastic delivery bags),
magazines, catalogs, telephone books,
office paper, mail, cardboard boxes
(flattened down to fit in the cart), cereal/
juice boxes, and milk cartons (rinsed).
Plastic Containers:
Numbers 1-5 and 7 (printed on the
container or bottle bottom within the
arrow recycle symbol). Always rinse.
According to Waste Management Inc.
and Republic Services, caps that are
screwed back on plastic bottles after
rinsing can now be recycled. (The
instruction label on the top of your cart
may still say caps cannot be recycled, so
disregard it.) A spokesperson for Republic
said that the caps are now being
manufactured thinner to make recycling
work. But of course, never include those
that contained hazardous materials such
as paint, motor oil, pesticides, and pool
chemicals.
Metal Containers:
Tin, aluminum, or steel. Again, always
rinse and never include those that had
hazardous materials in them. Remove
and dispose of lids.
Glass:
Bottles and jars of all colors now (no
caps, bags, or boxes).
If recycling isn’t available in your single
or multifamily community, you can talk
to your homeowners association about
getting a program started. Visit
www.Broward.org for more information.
Remember: Rinse bottles and containers
and remove tops from containers.
And don’t forget to “close the loop,”
by choosing to buy products made of
recycled materials.
Put it in a box or something, maybe like a
recycling bin?
In Parkland place only these items
into your recycling cart:
• Newspapers, inserts, catalogs,
magazines, junk mail, office paper,
soft-covered books, file folders, soda
cartons, and crushed boxes from items
such as cereal, tissues, rice, and pasta.
• Plastic bottles and jugs such as
milk, water, detergent, and shampoo
containers (narrow necks only).
Numbers 1-7.
• Glass bottles and jars, milk and juice
cartons, and drink boxes
• Aluminum and steel food and beverage
containers (rinsed). P
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NOVEMBER 2017