Keep Nelson Beautiful: Recycle

Recycle

Recycling means to separate materials from our waste stream that can be processed into new materials and used again. In some cases the second product is the same as the original; such as newspaper or aluminum cans. In other cases the product is different. An example is plastic containers made into synthetic lumber. In both cases there is less consumption of natural resources and energy.

Nelson County residents are making a sincere effort to recycle. Many would like to learn more about how to recycle, and some don't know where to begin. KNB would like to help answer your questions about recycling. We will begin with some basics.

These common household materials can be recycled.

Paper
40% of our household waste is paper. It is easy to recycle paper in Nelson
County because it is all mixed paper. That means you can put newsprint,
magazines, notebook paper, cereal boxes, cardboard etc. all in the same bin. Keep a paper grocery bag or small cardboard box handy at home as a receptacle for recycled paper. Flatten boxes to conserve space.

The paper industry is the third largest consumer of energy in the U.S. Making recycled paper uses 60% less energy, so not only do we save trees, but we also significantly reduce energy consumption.

For more insight into paper recycling visit http://www.tappi.org/paperu/all_about_paper/earth_answers/Recycle1.htm

Plastic
Plastic is a popular material for all sorts of packaging and containers because it is light weight, durable and can take many different forms. The disadvantage is that plastic is made from a non-renewable petrochemical. Wasting plastic is like wasting gasoline, and we can't afford to do that. The following website has detailed information about plastic its uses and reuses.
http://www.plasticsrecource.com

Aluminum
Aluminum is the most abundant metal on earth, but very costly to manufacture. A lot of energy is consumed in the smelting process. For this reason it is one of the most valuable materials to recycle. Twenty recycled cans can be made with the energy it takes to produce a new one from bauxite ore. Extensive information about aluminum can be found at http://www.world-aluminium.org

Glass
Glass is still a favored material for food storage, and it is recyclable. We throw away 28 billion glass bottles and jars each year. That consumes a lot of landfill space and more energy to produce new glass. Presently the cost to recycle glass is high so many localities are discontinuing this practice. Currently in Nelson County you can still recycle glass in the commingled containers.

Recycle

Materials

Yes

No

Co-Mingled

Glass

food & beverage jars & bottles

any color

(must be empty & rinsed)

paper labels acceptable

no window glass, cooking dishes or drinking glasses

no ceramic or pottery dishes

no mirrors or light bulbs

no plastic grocery bags

Plastic

soda & water bottles

milk jugs

laundry detergent containers

(must be empty & rinsed)

flatten to save space

no styrofoam

no plastic grocery bags

no pesticide or herbicide,

motor oil, anti-freeze or hazardous waste containers

Metal Cans

steel, aluminum, bi-metal,

& tin food cans

(empty & rinse, labels acceptable)

paint cans must be empty

no aerosol cans

no pesticide herbicide, or hazardous waste containers

Paper

Mixed Paper

newspaper, magazines,

glossy advertisements,

phone books & office paper

cereal boxes, & junk mail

cardboard (broken down to a flat bundle)

(deposit loose or in paper grocery bag)

(all paper must be dry)

no waxed or plastic coated boxes

such as frozen or microwave

food boxes

no milk cartons

no plastic grocery bags

General Preparation
Food containers whether glass, plastic or metal should be empty and rinsed to the extent that there is no odor or residue to attract insects. This can be done with cold water and without soap.
LIDS: Do not recycle lids. They are usually made from a metal/paper/plastic combination that can't be recycled. Ends cut from steel (tin) cans should be recycled with the can.
LABELS: Removing paper labels from glass and metal food containers is not required, but if you are inclined to remove them, they can be recycled with mixed paper.

Plastic Bags
The process used to recycle plastic bags is entirely different from the process used to recycle hard plastic containers. Plastic bags foul up the machinery belts on assembly lines at recycle facilities. If you want to recycle plastic bags take them to a local grocery store which collects plastic bags for recycling. (Example: Food Lion.) Bags must be clean and dry. Dirty bags should be discarded with your trash. DO NOT PUT PLASTIC BAGS IN THE CO-MINGLE RECYCLING BIN.

Metal Cans
All metal cans that originally contained food should be recycled. Other cans that are made of aluminum, steel, and tin can be recycled if they are empty and clean, with no remnants of toxic substances. For instance, metal cans which originally contained water-based paint can be recycled as long as the paint has been thoroughly rinsed away, and the can is empty and dry. Metal cans which originally contained oil-based paints can NOT be recycled. Cans which could contain traces of toxic or flammable substances such as anti-freeze, oil, gas, kerosene, herbicide or pesticide should NOT be placed in recycle bins.

Special Note on Aluminum
Aluminum is one of the most costly of metals to refine. However, once it is processed into a pure form, aluminum never wears out. It can be recycled again and again. Currently only aluminum cans can be recycled at the collection centers. Bulky aluminum items such as guttering and lawn furniture can be sold directly to a salvage company.

Glass
All glass bottles and jars that originally contained food should be recycled. All colors are acceptable. Do NOT place the following items into recycle bins for glass: mirrors, pottery, porcelain, china, light bulbs, lead crystal, TV and computer screens. All of these items contain heavy metals or other substances which can contaminate an entire batch of glass in a recycle bin.

Remember; do NOT dump plastic bags into recycle bins. Paper bags must be placed into recycle bins for mixed paper.

Plastic Containers
Plastic containers for food and non-food content like laundry detergent, soap etc. can be recycled if they have a number 1 or 2 stamped inside the recycling triangle logo on the bottom of the item. Do NOT recycle containers which may contain traces of toxic or flammable substances such as anti-freeze, oil, gas, kerosene, herbicide or pesticide. Do NOT recycle plastic toys, plastic flower pots, plastic appliances or parts, or plastic lamps and furniture.

Special Note on Styrofoam-Type Plastic
At this point in time, we are unable to recycle any type of styrofoam in Nelson County. All styrofoam must be put in the trash. This includes stiff packing forms, styrofoam egg cartons, and the packaging forms used for fresh and frozen meat, microwave and bakery items. Styrofoam packing peanuts can be returned to commercial postal service centers such as Mail Boxes.

Mixed Paper
Paper comes in many forms, from heavy, stiff cardboard to ultra thin tissue paper. Forty percent of what most Americans recycle is paper of one type or another. Please recycle all paper items listed below.

Corrugated Cardboard: All boxes must be flattened, and to the extent possible, all tape, plastic labels, and staples should be removed. Staples can be recycled with metal, but tape and labels should be discarded as trash.

Paper: Nearly all types of paper are included - tissue and Christmas wrapping paper, stationary, office paper, plain envelopes, envelopes with plastic address windows, newspaper, magazines, paper advertisements, paper grocery bags, boxes for consumer items like toothbrushes and small appliances, cereal and food boxes (remove any metal pouring spouts and recycle with metal), paper egg cartons, take-away pizza boxes, laundry detergent and bar soap boxes, telephone books, and paper back books.