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MCC Daily Tribune

Green Tip - One bad apple....

You may be familiar with the saying "One bad apple can spoil the bunch." This saying holds true when recycling. Why is contamination bad? If one wrong item is placed within a recycling bin/can, the whole can is contaminated and not appropriate for recycling. It also can slow the recycling process and damage sorting machines!

At MCC, we have single-stream recycling, which means we can put recyclable paper, plastics, and cans into one bin. These items need to be empty and free of residue (no food waste or liquids).

Not sure if your item is recyclable? When in doubt, throw it out!

Here are examples of what SHOULD NOT go in the blue recycling bins:

  1. Plastic bags - these should be returned to the bins at retail stores like Wegmans and Tops
  2. Food waste - jars/cans need to be scraped out, pizza boxes should not have food or grease.
  3. Plastic-coated paper - such as frozen-food containers and paper coffee cups - The shiny/waxy coating on the paper prevents the paper from being recyclable.
  4. Food scraps--that apple core or banana peel needs to go in the trash!
  5. No plastic lids or plastic cups - these items are flat or easily crushed flat and mistakenly get sorted by machines into the paper side--contaminating the paper being recycled!
  6. No Styrofoam
  7. No caps or lids on Glass bottles or jars -place the glass bottle in uncapped.

Not sure if your item is recyclable? When in doubt, throw it out!

Ann Penwarden
Sustainability Steering Committee’s Recycling Committee
04/23/2019