Fish Creek Bottle Depot

How to Organize Recycling: Tips From Fish Creek Bottle Depot

How to Organize Recycling

Do you know how to organize recycling? Depending on where you live, you might have to sort paper and cardboard into a different collection container from metal and plastic packaging and cartons and coffee cups. 

These are multi-stream collections, which have multiple compartments for materials.

If you’re not sure how it works, here’s a quick run-down: when the truck arrives at a sorting facility, the paper and cardboard go in one area while the metal, plastic, cartons, and coffee cups are unloaded in another area.

For more tips, clear here!

Why is it Important to Organize Recycling?

By sorting out our recycling, items like non-deposit containers are sorted from the trash and unloaded in another area at the facility. Materials like paper and cardboard go to remanufacturers while the metal, plastic, and cartons go through their shipment.

Single-Stream Recycling

Most cities sort and collect cardboard and paper in the same collection container as plastic and metal packaging and coffee cups. The recycling truck empties these items at a local sorting facility.

These trucks typically collect on-deposit glass containers and put them in a separate compartment to go to another area at the sorting facility. This is the single-stream recycling process.

During the single-stream recycling process, everything excluding glass is processed and baled for shipment to material remanufacturers. Many communities collect cardboard and paper in the same collection container as plastic and metal packaging. These items go to the same place at the sorting facility.

Tips to Organize Recycling

1. Set Out Packing and Printed Papers Separately

Check with your local recycling collector for instructions on when and how to set out your recycling. Here is a list of items that most recycling programs accept:

  • Flyers
  • Office paper
  • Letters and envelopes
  • Boxes
  • Paper bags
  • Paper egg cartons
  • Toilet paper or paper towel tubes
  • Shredded paper

When you organize recycling, be sure to flatten large cardboard boxes that do not fit in the collection container. Place them beside the container.

2. Sort Your Blue Box Items

Blue box items include cartons and coffee cups as well as plastic and metal packaging bags. Here is a list of blue box items:

  • Plastic jugs
  • Jars
  • Tubs
  • Jars
  • Garden plan plots
  • Takeout containers
  • Aerosol cans
  • Metal cans for food
  • Spiral-wound cans for frozen juice
  • non-deposit glass bottles and jars for vinegar, edible oils, spreads, etc.

3. Other Recyclable Items

Other recyclable items include:

  • Plastic bags 
  • Overwrap and foam packaging
  • Batteries
  • Appliances
  • Light bulb

Click here for information about other recycling options and locations.

4. Final Tips

  • When you organize recycling, do not include garbage and food waste.
  • Include only empty packaging and containers
  • Rinse your containers
  • Ensure all aerosol containers are empty
  • Flatten containers and cartons 

When you organize recycling, everyone benefits. Follow the above tips to ensure that your local recycling facility collects and recycles properly!

Bottle Depots is Doing Their Part - And So Can You!

As an essential service, your local bottle depot is doing what it can to ensure the health and safety of both the community and the environment. Bottle depots can also assist with Bottle Drives and Bottle Pickup!

Recycling is critical to ensure the health of our planet. When you organize recycling, you are helping to reduce the amount of waste produced every day.

If you are looking for the best way to get rid of your recycling, you can visit us here or get in contact with us here.