(Click on each photo to see it larger form and read the information on it better. Best viewed from a desktop computer.)
Myth: All of the trash and recycling ends up in the same place.
Truth: There are completely separate processes and facilities for trash and recycling. The trash goes to the landfill. Recycling goes to a separate place to be consolidated (5 trucks worth goes in one semi-trailer) and then transferred to the recycling center for processing.
It is an impressive plant. It is the largest and smartest residential recycling center in North America. And it is the second largest in capacity of what it processes. Video of the recycling process: Recycling Center and Processing Video
Also visit the Learning Center at Vegas Recycling Center Learning Center
- 75% of the structure was built from recycled materials.
- The roof has solar cells and the plant uses that solar energy in its operation.
- A clean truck of recycling can be processed in 2 1/2 minutes through the entire plant process! That includes separating out the aluminum, glass, paper/cardboard (which they call fibers), plastic, and sadly all waste that should not be there.
- 40% of all of their recycling trucks now run on natural gas (up for 20% on their stats).
- Plus so much more!
What Can We Do? What is Our Part in this Process?
Everyone should become familiar with Recycling Simplified for information about recycling basics, tips, and resources. There is much there to educate, answer questions, and help us all be better about recycling. Read everything. Click on all the tabs. Watch all the videos. Also download a Recycling Guide to hang on your fridge or put somewhere to remind you of what goes and what does not. Clark County NV Republic Services Recycling Brochure. I hope to have some new labels to put on our recycling bins soon.
Common Things that SHOULD be recycled and tips.
- Recycling should be Clean, Dry, Empty.
- Anything smaller than a credit card cannot be recycled. So there are tips for how to do things better.
- Rigid plastics that have 1, 2, or 5 on the bottom. (This has been clarified since there is conflicting information on various sources). If it is flexible plastic (bags, wrappers, packing materials) it cannot go in curbside recycling.
- Keep plastic caps ON the plastic bottles. This is our best practice for getting them recycled and not discarded. If plastic caps are loose and smaller than a credit card, throw them in the trash. They are too small by themselves and will not make it through the separation process.
- Take off metal caps/lids. These are normally smaller than a credit card but CAN be recycled if collected together. In an empty soup or coffee can, for instance, collect up all the metal lids/caps. Once full, simply crimp the end of the can to help hold them all inside. Then but in the recycling container for pick up.
- Flatten cardboard
- Keep cans and bottles in their original shape. It helps the automatic sorting machine do a better job recognizing them.
- Cut off the sticky part of Post-It notes and throw that away. The sticky part is trash but the paper part can be recycled.
- Separate mixed recyclable materials.For instance, separate the metal top from the glass pasta sauce jar. Or take off the plastic front piece on a pasta box and throw that away, then recycle the cardboard part of the box. Or take the plastic label off of a metal container and place plastic label in the trash with metal going in recycling. Or take the metal strip off of an empty aluminum foil box, both parts can be recycled separately but consider consolidating the metal part with other smaller pieces (like with metal lids above).
- If a paper label on a can or jar is bigger than a credit card and you separate it, the paper label will get recycled too. Otherwise, the paper may end up in trash as it goes through the sifting process.
- Aluminum foil can be recycled if clean. It is good to roll multiple small pieces into a bigger ball so it meets the "bigger than a credit card" test.
We noticed the recycling plant smells bad!
That is because we are not sending clean recycling. One of the shocking things we learned is that 30% of what arrives at our local recycling plant each day should not have been there. And up to another 10% can be contaminated from food/drink/liquids that gets into clean recycling. A test of your own efforts towards clean recycling--smell your recycling bin. It if stinks... you are doing it wrong!
Common items included that SHOULD NOT be recycled in our all-in-one recycle bins at our homes:
- No plastic grocery sacks (regardless of what it says about recycling on the bag). These and other types of non-rigid plastics are not recyclable at our plant. These items can also get tangled in the sorting equipment and shut down the entire recycling plant until cleared. Some grocery stores and locations have recycling on-site for their own bags.
- No Amazon-type mailing envelopes that have a mix of bubble-wrap and paper.
- No yard waste, fruit or vegetable scraps, egg shells, or coffee grounds. Those kind of things can be composted. This is something I am going to learn more about.
- No dirty diapers
- No styrofoam (which is toxic when heated anyway- yuck)
- No broken glass. It will contaminate fibers (paper and cardboard) and cause them to be rejected for reuse if they have glass shards in it. And most broken pieces do not meet the "bigger than a credit card" test.
- No cartons (like the ones that some soup, milk, juice, crackers, and ready-to-make biscuits come in). They used to accept them, but not now. They are incredibly complex to recycle with all the different pieces of plastic and layers of materials.
- No food or recyclable items with food still on them... including greasy pizza boxes (although if part of it is not greasy and food free, that part can be recycled still. Just separate the dirty part and put in the regular trash. The clean part goes in recycling).
- Nothing wet (more than a teaspoon of water). It causes everything it touches to be wet and soggy. It cannot be sorted through the machines.
- Don't put mixed items inside each other. A paper bag should not contain plastic or glass or aluminum. A box should not contain other mixed recycling items inside.
- No pots or pans, bikes, or other bulk mixed metal items like those. Instead donate to a charity center for resale/reuse or take to a recycling wholesaler and they may even pay you for the metal.
- No electronic items (however, there is a service you can request to have a box sent to your home so you can mail these in for proper disposal and to ensure your private date is wiped clean). For more info visit Electronics Recycling
Closing Thoughts
I want to expand this to a bit bigger concept. We should be thinking about the entire life of the products we buy (from the creation of that item to the final end state) and not just depend on recycling. Our recycling guide called it "wishful recycling" where we consume all we want and hope it will be recycled when we are done. We often fall in the trap of thinking better of ourselves, but in the end we are still consumers that are putting a burden on space, energy, and a demand on the earth to even recycle. Yes, better than things going to trash landfills but there are better ways. Think of "good-->; better -->; best" in your decision making and choice process. Commit to take steps in the "best" direction.
* When you have a choice, choose a product in an aluminum or metal package over one in plastic. Aluminum is infinitely recyclable. Buy something in glass instead of a carton. Use a reusable bottle/glass/cup vs taking a single use one.
* "Biodegradable" on packaging does not necessarily mean it will return to the earth and back to natural materials. A lot of companies are "greenwashing" and using this term to make money. Consider looking at the product ingredient list and make sure it is really made from 100% natural materials and that it isn't just made of plastic that will break down into micro-plastics. I noticed this with pet waste disposal bags. Only a few are made from corn starch, potato starch, or 100% natural materials.
* Consider buying less overall. Be a wise consumer that thinks purchases through.
* Consider buying in bulk rather than smaller sizes to use less packaging.
* Use your own bags and containers to buy bulk items at local places like Sprouts, WinCo, or farmers markets.
* Consider how things can be reused or repurposed or donated to others.
* Consider how you can reduce or eliminate single use items or packaging. That isn't just a straw, but ANY single use item from a coffee-cup, lid, take-out container, fast-food packaging, tea bag or coffee pod, make-up remover pad, plastic dental floss pick, etc, etc. etc. ANYTHING you only use once and throw away. My daughter reminded me that the plastic fork I was using one day would be around forever and whether it was worth the 5 to 10 minutes I use it to eat. I will be buying my own reusable fork now too. If you find yourself needing grace to use the single-use item then consider what you can do with it after you use it. For instance, take it home to wash and reuse again... don't just throw it away after that few minutes of your consumption. I actually have experimented and put my plastic fast-food forks and cups in the the dishwasher (forks in silverware basket on bottom rack and cups in top rack). They wash up well for reuse!
* It is a process of illumination, mindfulness, and taking a step-by-step journey into more wise living, and care of what God has made and entrusted us with.
⇨Invitation: Some people have expressed interest in meeting together to learn how to make changes. If you would like to included, let me know. We are planning to meet up for coffee soon and discuss, learn from each other, and encourage each other.
➜➜➜See my next post on how to recycle flexible plastics that can't go in the curbside pickup. (added 9/19/19)
* * *
