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Need help with Recycling options

Discussion in 'General Chat Forum' started by klewis, Oct 30, 2008.

  1. klewis

    klewis New Member

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    We've been recycling so much lately that trash only needs to go out every few weeks. Or, at least we *thought* we were recycling a lot. With the recent guide in the newsletter, turns out that probably most of our "recycling" is not accepted by Fairfax County. It was very infuriating to put my peanut butter container with a recycling symbol in the trash tonight.

    What other options do I have???? Does Loudoun recycle more types than Fairfax? I really want to recycle my daily McD's iced coffee cup.

    And what's the deal wiht yogurt/dairy containers, yet they take milk jugs?

    Thanks in advance for any and all advice. We want to do, and are willing to do, what we can to eliminate as much trash as we can.
     
  2. Villager

    Villager Ashburn Village Resident

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    I have time on my hands and am reading through the Fairfax County list of non-recyclables. I just started an already I see that you cannot recycle blood. Yes, blood is not recyclable by Fairfax County. Ha!

    I'll go read more of the list now...

    On another note, why do recyclables from Loudoun County go to Fairfax County? Shouldn't we be under Loudoun County recycling rules?
     
  3. Villager

    Villager Ashburn Village Resident

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    Per Fairfax County:

    Plastic bottles and jugs have different characteristics from other plastic containers. For example, a plastic milk bottle has a different melting point than a plastic margarine tub. It is important that bottles and jugs are collected separately so that these unique properties can be retained. Markets for plastics other than bottles and jugs continue to be weak. In Fairfax County, we only collect what we can sell to recyclers. Mixing in other types of plastics (e.g., yogurt cups, margarine tubs) interferes with our ability to market the materials. A few incorrect plastic containers can result in an entire load of plastic bottles and jugs being rejected.

    ~~

    The Fairfax County website doesn't specifically say not to recycle peanut butter jars, just plastic containers without a "neck." Right or wrong of me, because a peanut butter container has a lid that screws on just like a milk jug, I'm calling it acceptable. The website also says not to recycle aluminum pie plates but I have always done so. I don't know why they say not to...as long as it's clean it's still aluminum, right? Huh.

    The restrictions vary from county to county and I've heard that in other parts of the country many more items may be recycled than around here. Virginia needs to step it up if at all possible!
     
  4. goofus

    goofus New Member

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    I, too, thought that I was the recycling king of the neighborhood, always being diligent about recycling everything that was (a) generally recyclable and (b) specifically accepted by the curbside pick-up folks. But the one-pager in the recent newsletter opened my eyes and left me scratching my head.

    I thought that all plastics labeled with a 1 or 2 were accepted. The part about different plastics having different melting points and so forth is well understood, but I was under the impression that plastics with a 1 or 2 had their own respective characteristics that were different from one another (as well as from those plastics coded in the 3 thru 7 range) and would be sorted at the recycling center. It was a simple formula for us: IF Plastic_Type < 3 THEN Recycle; ELSE Garbage. Now I learn the following from the Fairfax County recycling site:

    WHAT ABOUT THE NUMBER: Don't worry about the number! In the past, residents were encouraged to identify the resin identification code of a plastic container prior to recycling it. At this point, markets are primarily concerned with the shape of the container. So…you DON'T need to check the number…but you DO need to make sure the container is a bottle or a jug!

    Whoa! This requires a fundamental change in how one processes plastics. Now we are being asked to disregard the numbers that have heretofore provided precise guidance. Such a practice introduces an element of uncertainly. I'm referring to the language from the newsletter which says, "Plastic bottles & jugs ONLY; Check for the neck!" Really? Check for the neck? That's the factor that determines whether or not I should recycle? That's totally ridiculous! What constitutes a neck? Is it marked by a slender top section that tapers off from the body of the container? *OR* Is it anything that is threaded such as to permit a screw-top cap/lid?

    Conversely, what about stuff that has both a handle (a feature of a jug) and a neck? I'm thinking about the container in my fridge that holds 4 lbs. 6 oz. of picante sauce. It's marked as a no. 7, which is plastics type 'other' (and previously non-recyclable). Does this mean that when this container gets emptied I should now divert it from the trash into my recycling tub by virtue of its having both a neck and a handle? The same question applies to the container that holds 7 lbs. 2 oz. of ketchup - it has a neck (albeit a very wide one) and had a grip handle (not an open-loop handle) that makes me wonder if it is a jug or non-jug. By what criteria do I determine jugginess/juggishness? Should it go into the recycling bin or into the trash?????

    Again, my beef with the guidelines is their lack of precision in the area of plastics. Numbers are objective and specific; shapes and designs are subjective and imprecise. Furthermore, as a green recycler, it's going to be morally challenging for me to consign 'neckless' or 'non-juggy' 1 or 2 coded plastics to the landfill knowing that like-numbered items with necks or in a jug style will be recycled.

    I will be delighted to hear from anyone who can provide more specific guidelines to the conscientious recyclers of Broadlands.
     
  5. Villager

    Villager Ashburn Village Resident

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    Me again. You can see why I decided that I would recycle some things that were 1s or 2s regardless of having a neck. I don't think that's a very wise guideline. I've read through the Loudoun County and the Fairfax County recycling websites and personally go by the number on it, not by this "neck" thing. Not that it makes me an expert by any means, but I've also seen some TV programs and websites about recycling that explain how recyclables are sorted and recycled and I don't think the neck thing is relevant.

    I may be wrong with how I'm recycling but I try hard to do the right thing.

    Loudoun County Recycling

    Earth 911 website

    What Recycling symbols mean


    Obviously.com's Recycling Guide and their handy short list
     
  6. klewis

    klewis New Member

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    Thank you for the information and links so far. I'm glad to know we are not alone in our recycling frustrations. I just bought a bin today to keep all of our "other" recyclables in until we can figure out if they are truly trash or not.

    I really think Broadlands, Loudoun Co and Virginia need to do more. As well as residents too........we're leading up to the really frustrating time of the holidays when we drive to work on Monday mornings and see recyclable cardboard out for trash (just hang on to it for 3 more days!). Ok, enough venting :)
     
  7. kevinq

    kevinq Member

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    Can junk mail, mixed paper, etc. be out out in plastic bags or does it need to be put out in a paper bag? You can just put the junk mail and mixed paper in the bin or it will fly all over the place.
     
  8. Villager

    Villager Ashburn Village Resident

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    I wanted recycle bins with lids for those windy or rainy days so I bought two Rubbermaid Roughneck 18 gallon storage boxes. They come with snap on lids and have handles for easy carrying. I bought two different colors: one for paper products and another for the rest. It makes it easy to keep sorted and when it's time to put them outside I can stack them or use the lids in bad weather. I've had them about a year and so far they've held up quite well.

    They come in other sizes but the 18 gallon ones work fine for our family and I don't have to worry about things blowing around. I wondered about using lids as a hassle for the recycling truck guys don't they seem to have a problem with it.
     

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  9. aoakley

    aoakley New Member

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    are we required to sort? I thought we didn't have to. We haven't been....
     
  10. Villager

    Villager Ashburn Village Resident

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    Here's something new: The Ashburn Village HOA newsletter has an article in the November issue that states the following

    "Plastic is not trash. All 1 and 2 plastics (things with a screw top) are recyclable."

    So I guess by that information peanut butter jars are recyclable.

    Ashburn Village uses New Vision for their trash and recyclables to the standards should be the same for Broadlands (I would think).
     
  11. sharse

    sharse TeamDonzi rocks!!

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    No, we're not required to sort.
     

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