Commit to Taking Your Recycling Habits to the Next Level This Earth Day
By Office of Communication
Posted on April 20, 2018, April 20, 2018

Earth-Day-Recycling

In celebration of Earth Day on April 22, the Arlington Landfill team is encouraging our community to commit to taking our recycling habits to the next level. By adopting #1MORE act of environmental responsibility to reduce contamination of the recycling waste stream, we can all do our part.

Recycling contamination can be anything other than what is intended to be collected and recycled, including unwanted substances such as residual food or liquid that can be harmful to the recycling process. A contaminated item placed in the recycling container can come into contact with other recyclables, and potentially contaminate the entire batch.

To reduce contamination, we've provided four tips below.

Tip #1: Only Place Recyclables in the Curbside Recycling Container

Keep it simple and focus on these four categories of curbside recyclables:

  • Paper, including newspapers, envelopes, mail, phone books and magazines
  • Flattened cardboard, file folders, poster board and milk cartons
  • Plastic bottles and containers
  • Aluminum and tin food and beverage cans

Tip #2: Recyclables Should Be Empty, Clean & Dry

Make sure recyclables are empty of any contents, clean of any residue and dry before placing them into the recycling container.

Tip #3: When In Doubt, Throw It Out

If you find yourself questioning if something is recyclable or not, follow the guidance, "When in doubt, throw it out," by tossing the items into the trash container.

Tip #4: Know What Should Never be Placed in the Curbside Recycling Container

Below is a list of items that should never be placed into a curbside recycling container:

  • Food waste
  • Clothing, shoes and other textiles
  • Yard waste, plants, grass clippings, cords and garden hoses
  • Styrofoam, fiberglass and other foam packing material
  • Disposable diapers and puppy pads
  • Tissue, paper towels, paper napkins and hardcover books
  • Treated or contaminated wood, sheetrock or drywall
  • Metal, such as chains, tools and car parts
  • Electronic devices and equipment as well as batteries, fluorescent bulbs and ballasts.

So this Earth Day, let's all commit to doing #1MORE act to help our environment and our community.

To learn more about Arlington Landfill, visit us online at http://arlingtonlandfill.com/.

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