Chesapeake In The Know

There’s been a lot of talk about recycling over the past year. Quick recap – there’s too much contamination going into the blue bin which makes it much harder and more expensive to send the product onto its next life. This contamination is threatening our recycling program so it’s critical that we all start recycling the right things.

Paper, bottles, and cans. Keep it simple. These three are easy to remember and are almost always acceptable. Paper includes cardboard, bottles include both glass and #1 or #2 plastic, and cans include steel, tin, and aluminum.  

Keep it clean. Do not recycle pizza boxes – the grease can contaminate the load. Empty bottles before recycling. The sorting machinery uses air bursts to sort certain materials and a full bottle weighs more than an empty bottle.

If in doubt, throw it out. While we appreciate the desire to recycle as much as possible, wishful recyclers contribute to contamination. If you’ve ever though to yourself, “I’m not sure if this is recyclable but I’ll throw it in and let them decide,” then we want you to reconsider how you recycle. If you’re unsure whether or not it’s recyclable, throw it in your brown bin instead.

You can look into a more detailed list of recyclables and other recycling tips at TFCRecycling.com and CityofChesapeake.net/Recycle.