If you are tossing clear plastic food containers, dirty peanut butter jars, yogurt and margarine containers, water bottles with caps still on, and dirty coffee cups and pizza boxes into your recycling bin…you are actually being less green than if you threw those items away!
Here’s why: None of those things are accepted by our local recycler. And if a load of recyclables has too many rejects in it, the entire load of recyclables may end up in the landfill.
Recycle properly to reduce waste going into our landfill and extend its life. Read the lids on your recycling and trash bins. They tell you everything you need to know. And do not assume that because something is recyclable in Toronto or Ottawa it can be recycled in Sault Ste. Marie.
The biggest issues are with plastics. Saultites throw many plastic items in their recycling bins that should not be there.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Plastic: Only bottles marked #1 or #2. Nothing else! And the bottles must be clean and have lids removed. It’s better to throw away a dirty peanut butter jar or ketchup bottle than to throw it in the recycling bin.
- Lids: No lids of any kind are recyclable, including those from water bottles, peanut butter jars, detergent bottles, etc.
- Glass: Only bottles and jars. No drinking glasses, no picture frame glass, no glass vases.
- Metal: Cans, tins, and foil must be clean. Do not attempt to recycle dirty items.
- Paper: Clean paper, cardboard and books are recyclable including milk cartons (rinse thoroughly and remove plastic cap) and egg cartons. Coffee cups are recyclable. Pizza boxes that have food residue on them are not recyclable. Thermal paper receipts are not recyclable.
Want to know more? Check out the City of Sault Ste. Marie’s Waste Recycling Guide here. And remember to read the lids of your recycling and trash bins!
Note: An earlier version of this post said that coffee cups are not recyclable. In Sault Ste. Marie, they are recyclable.
