Top Things You Can Recycle That You Didn’t Realize Could Be Recycled

“Stuff: easier to get into your house than to get out,” one once said.  

While this is both accurate and humorous, disposing of your old “stuff” and recycling is actually getting easier. The key is knowing what can be recycled and for this you may be in for a few pleasant surprises.

"I would say that right now it's the electronics, specifically batteries (dry cell), fluorescent bulbs and computers followed by Plastics 3 through 7, and gray cardboard (cereal boxes, Kleenex boxes, pasta boxes)," says Clinton's Director of the Department of Public Works and Transfer Station, Peter Neff when asked for the top things that can be recycled that residents often don't realize can be recycled. 

Then there's the flip-side of the coin - "stuff" many think can be recycled but cannot.

"Styrofoam and plastic bags are the biggest things that people ask about
as far as not being recycled. It's a good point; they should be recycled," says Neff.

And there's the pizza box conundrum. The Killingworth Transfer Facility considers pizza boxes recyclable but Madison doesn't.  Clinton does ... well, sometimes. 

Says Neff, "We take pizza boxes but you will notice that our info lists 'clean' pizza boxes. Most of our customers will ask the attendant if they have a question about the box. It is a judgment call but if there is a little oil on them they are recycled, if there is cheese or the bottom is soaked with oil they are placed in the garbage."

"I guess it is somewhat dependent upon where one buys their pizza, some are a bit more greasy than others!" he notes. 

Sweitzer Waste Removal's Paula Lenihan said, "Cereal boxes and pasta boxes -- a lot of people are surprised that boxboard can be recycled also. Paper egg cartons most people did not know and office paper." 

"Mostly it's been the excitement that it used to be only numbers one and two and now it's one through seven. That's been extremely exciting for all of them," Lenihan said.

Then, there's that problematic pizza box.  The Sweitzer drivers do keep an eye out for such items so that the load is not contaminated. 

"The only thing people are upset about are Styrofoam, black plastic (even if it has the proper number), and plastic bags," she noted. 

To-go containers and Lean Cuisine packaging are examples of black plastic.

"They have the proper number on them but, unfortunately, cannot be be recycled at this time." 

Neff explains, "We are allowed to recycle food grade plastics. There are some black as well as other color containers that we do not take because they are prohibited by what they contained (even though they have an accepted number on it)." 

Bonnie Finkeldey of Finkeldey BMJ refers customers to the visual of what can be recycled found on the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority's website (www.crra.org).

"People tend to like the visual and we put that on our containers," Finkeldey said.

When asked for the top things that can be recycled that surprise customers she responded, "They don't really tell us much. We just tell them what is acceptable and put stickers on our barrels and tell them to go to that website." 

While CRRA manages recycling for the state, each facility sets its own rules "based upon how they can best regulate what goes in and what doesn't," Neff explained and added, "We routinely inspect loads and run an informational program on what we do and don't recycle. I am sure some things get in that shouldn't but for the most part it's pretty clean." 

The list of items accepted for recycling at the transfer station as well as what is not accepted in the recycling program can be found at http://www.clintonct.org/10documents/dpw.stream.recycling.pdf

The transfer station also takes in e-waste (electronic waste) such as batteries, CRT monitors and scanners. The list of acceptable items and fees can be found at http://www.clintonct.org/10documents/dpw.electronic.recycling.pdf

REMINDER:  There is a Hazardous Waste day at the DPW facility this Saturday, April 23 from 9am to 1pm RAIN or SHINE.  For more information, visit this link on the town web site at: http://www.clintonct.org/11documents/dpw.hazardous.pdf