Hate to bring up this topic again - Trash and Recycling?

I'm sure you all have noticed there are 2 types of trash trucks in the neighborhood - the big red ones, and the small white ones that are presumably for recycling.

Yesterday one of the small white ones backed up to one of the big red ones in front of my house. They dumped all of the recycled glass (or so it sounded that way) into the big red truck, which was picking up the regular trash. Has anyone else seen this? I'm hoping that the white truck was having issues and that this isn't a regular occurence! I would hate for them to do that regularly with all of our recycled trash. Because that would eliminate the point of recycling, right?!

 

I personally have not seen it, but I've heard from more then one person that they've seen this as well.

 

If the market value of the recycled material is great enough, they will work to make sure that they don't lose the economic value of the material. If the recycles are worth no more than trash, then thats where they will go.

Personally, we recycle regiously and I would hate to know that my efforts are being "wasted". But, as recycled trash volumes increase, the demand for the recycles needs to increase as well or the price the hauler gets will only go one way, down. Which, in the end, makes the use of recycles more attractive, which increases demand, etc. So, keep on recycling and let the market do its work.

-Jim

 

I believe some of the red trucks are being used for recycling as well ... they are parking the red trucks in central locations and then using the smaller white trucks to go around and collect the recycling. Then when the white trucks are full they do the transfer.

 

I've seen them come through with a red truck or white truck to take recyclables. Then come back later with the larger red truck to pick up the trash.

 

I have seen the red trucks do the recycling too. But this one then stopped and picked up our regular trash!

 

The color of the truck does not necessarily mean anything. They use two different size trucks....small ones for the tighter streets and big ones for the wider streets. It is normal for them to dump the small ones into the big ones.

If you personnally witness them picking up recyclables in one truck and trash in another truck, and then dumping them together, call Wes with the date/time and street. This is a violation of county ordinance and they will follow up on it. I called them last week when we had complaints and the county sent someone out last Thursday to spot check them.

 

...and try to take a picture with your cell or digital camera. A picture is worth a thousand words

I too have seen different trucks take recycling and mix the trash, I was not fast enough to note the truck but I too am looking for it again, just in case.

 

Aren't we asked to seperate papers and plastics? We go through this effort and then I see them toss the contents of both containers into a large trunck and compact it all.

 

I have seen that some weeks. Other weeks there are two trucks for recycling.

 

They use the same tandem of trucks in Ashburn Farm. The smaller one is efficient for wheeling around townhouse developments and then meet up with the mother ship to dump contents and then move back into action.

The fact that they were combining the small truck trash with the large truck trash does not necessarily mean it was recycle material.

I'd be surprised if it was a commingling of trash and recycling. The issue has been a hot topic lately, to include New Vision management.

That doesn't say we shouldn't be vigilant, but if you see it again, I'd recommend trying to confirm the contents.

 

You do not need to separate newspapers from other recycles. They are separated at the recycling facility.

 

I believe that here in the Village we need to separate paper from the rest of the plastics, cans, etc. recyclables. We use New Vision. They usually send two trucks on recycle day and one takes paper the other takes the rest.

FYI in case you hadn't thought of it, empty paper towel and TP rolls are recyclable, as are empty cereal boxes - just take the plastic bag out first. Yogurt cups of all sizes are NOT recyclable, nor are the plastic lids to water bottles and milk jugs. Can you tell I'm starting to be obsessive about my recycling???

 

I'm glad we are talking about this because I can't find anywhere where it says what we can recycle. Does anyone know of a website that says exactly what can and can't be recycled? I'm especially confused about plastic. I know they take #1 & #2, is that all? I get a lot of #5's and I think 7's.
thanks

 

White truck, New Vision Trash and Recycling, just picked up 15 bags of lawn and leaf bags and TOSSED THEM WITH THE TRASH.
What's up???

 

I am not shocked. I've also seen them pick up the recycles and trash and throw both into the same truck. It hasn't happened recently but when they were picking up the recycles before the trash I noticed a couple times that the recycles weren't picked up at the usual time, then much later one truck came by picking up both.

 

i've seen this many, many times. we've left boxes out recently for recycling and the regular trash always picks them up. the regular trash picked up our lawn waste today too.

 

With respect to boxes, I agree it seems to be a regular thing. From what I find, the garbage crew comes in the morning and takes all that isn't inside the recycle bin regardless of what it may be. Anytime I have broken down boxes or perhaps overflow recycles in a different (but obvious) container, those all get taken with the trash crew leaving only the standard issue recycle bin for the recycle crew that comes a few hours later.

 

Since this topic was raised, I thought I'd ask - are we supposed to (by the contract) keep the paper separate or can we mix it? Are there HOA recycling guidelines anywhere? A couple times I saw trucks come through and just take the paper but then the other day they dumped it all in one truck together. Thankfully (and I checked), they didn't take the trash too though I am certain a few times they have

 

Are the trash and recycling picked up on the same day???

In Ashburn Village we have yard waste picked up on Mondays, trash on Tuesday and Friday, and recycling on Wednesday. The same company does all of these and uses the same trucks, but what they pick up is different.

I believe we are to separate paper from the rest of the recycling and they are to be picked up separately, but it may also be possible for them to separate it at the recycling plant if necessary, I don't know.