Recycling updates including Labor Day

I assumed similar to what happened on Memorial Day, that we would have town-wide recycling pick up this Tuesday, September 6, given the Labor Day holiday on Monday. My assumption is correct. There is in fact an updated fact sheet on the website:

RESIDENTIAL CURBSIDE RECYCLING:

Curbside recycling will be collected EVERY Monday for the entire town.

If any of the following Holidays fall on a Monday: New Year's Day, Memorial Day,
4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, collections will be
on the Tuesday after the Holiday. For any other Holiday (not listed)
that falls on Monday, collections will remain on Monday.

Two things to point out, one funny, one helpful.

Notice that they list Thanksgiving, which can NEVER fall on a Monday and they list Memorial Day and Labor Day which are ALWAYS on a Monday.

Oh and plastic bags are now included as ok to recycle. Don't believe me? Check out this link my friends. And Happy Labor Day weekend to all.

http://www.twp.maplewood.nj.us/index.aspx?NID=597

Wendy - Thanks so much for the info.

Ugh, I just threw out about 20 plastic bags. Oh well, at least I'll know for next time. Thanks.

The only plastic bags I see as accepted are the large clear plastic bags used for shredded paper. Plastic bags from the supermarket or the other shops which are white, yellow, or some other color are not on the list provided at the link. Supermarkets will take these bags back for recycling and there is usually a convenient drop off bin where they can be placed.

Since we have not received an email blast from the town regarding Tuesday pick-up this week, I am seriously considering putting my recyclables out as usual on Sunday evening and leaving them out for an added day if needed.

PLASTICS- ALL PLASTICS MUST BE EMPTY

Empty Prescription Bottles

Plastic Film Stretch clear and colors accepted

Plastic Cups/Plates free of Food Debris

Plastics #1-#7 Accepted

Plastic Trays

Styrofoam Food Containers (well rinsed)

Plastic Bags

Rigid Plastics: including milk and soda crates, plastic flower pots, plastic drums, plasticcoolers, plastic buckets, laundry baskets, empty garbage and recycling bins

joan_crystal said:

The only plastic bags I see as accepted are the large clear plastic bags used for shredded paper. Plastic bags from the supermarket or the other shops which are white, yellow, or some other color are not on the list provided at the link. Supermarkets will take these bags back for recycling and there is usually a convenient drop off bin where they can be placed.

Since we have not received an email blast from the town regarding Tuesday pick-up this week, I am seriously considering putting my recyclables out as usual on Sunday evening and leaving them out for an added day if needed.

Do you what you want Joan. But you're wrong regarding the no Monday pick up and the fact they are in fact picking up plastic bags. Did you in fact read the exact link I posted? I highly doubt it. I'm glad others find this useful up to date info helpful.

spontaneous said:

Ugh, I just threw out about 20 plastic bags. Oh well, at least I'll know for next time. Thanks.

No worries. They don't take up much land fill space. Now you know for the future.

I have reusable shopping bags. I never remember to bring them with me. I seriously think I used them 2x in the past year. As such, I know I also wouldn't remember to bring plastic bags back to the store to recycle, and the only place I've seen with a plastic bag recycling bin is Whole Foods, which just way out of my budget.

Putting recycling out on the curb every Sunday night though (and the occasional Monday for holidays), is something that even my overly distracted brain can handle.

spontaneous said:

I have reusable shopping bags. I never remember to bring them with me. I seriously think I used them 2x in the past year. As such, I know I also wouldn't remember to bring plastic bags back to the store to recycle, and the only place I've seen with a plastic bag recycling bin is Whole Foods, which just way out of my budget.

Putting recycling out on the curb every Sunday night though (and the occasional Monday for holidays), is something that even my overly distracted brain can handle.

I think most of the grocery stores have those bins. I know Target and ShopRite have them. I haven't checked at Stop & Shop but they likely do also. I'm still not clear on whether we can really put those bags out on the curb ... the info seems conflicting on that. (Also, the one list mentioned styrofoam but other communications I've seen nixed that.)

I keep my reusable bags in my car trunk, which helps. But I still sometimes forget to bring them into the store. I actually prefer them because you can put a lot more stuff in them and the handles don't break, not just for the environmental desirability of reuse.

I put out plastic bags from the supermarket and they are always taken.

galileo said:

I put out plastic bags from the supermarket and they are always taken.

I don't think that's necessarily a reliable guage of whether they are supposed to be put out. I think that the recycling guys don't pay that much attention to the contents of the bins as long as it isn't obvious non-recyclables - garbage/yard waste, etc.

Yeah you could pretty much put anything out and they will take it recyclable or not

sac said:

galileo said:

I put out plastic bags from the supermarket and they are always taken.

I don't think that's necessarily a reliable guage of whether they are supposed to be put out. I think that the recycling guys don't pay that much attention to the contents of the bins as long as it isn't obvious non-recyclables - garbage/yard waste, etc.

I would hope not. That would defeat the purpose of recycling.

galileo said:

I would hope not. That would defeat the purpose of recycling.

It's why WE need to take responsibility for putting out the right stuff.

Yeah, as sac said, the guys who pick it up pretty much take it as long as it isn't obvious non-recyclables. So, it is our responsibility to put the correct stuff in the bin.

To help us, however, the facility that everything is taken to has manual as well as machine operated sorters that separate the different materials, including trash. Or so I've heard, I haven't actually been to the facility (there is a Garbage Museum in CT [http://www.crra.org/pages/Garbage_Museum.htm] that lots of school groups visit and one can see the sorting process in action). I've been told by a reputable source that's been to the museum that unfortunately a lot of recyclable materials get thrown in the trash because of the way the materials arrive at the facility. For example, dirty pizza boxes and also water bottles with caps on them. The caps are a different type of plastic, so if the bottle has it's cap on it gets sorted into the trash! Yeah, crazy, right! So, when recycling a water/juice/soda bottle, do the simple step of removing the cap to ensure a more efficient process.

also don't put random glass in recycling... Lots of people assume all glass is recyclable when in reality most glass can not be recycled