1. Squeezable Ketchup bottles are
not recyclable.
Why: Squeezable ketchup bottles and
other squeezable containers for syrup, BBQ sauce, plum sauce etc., are
typically made from Polypropylene (PP) or a mix of resins. Because of
the characteristics/properties of this type of plastic, such as itís
resistance to chemicals, heat & fatigue, there are no options
available for recycling.
Options: Purchase these items in steel
cans or glass jars, that are recyclable and simply refill the squeezable
container.
2. What to do with cardboard.
If you live in a recycle only
community, the cardboard has to be flattened and bundled no larger than
30" x 30" x 8". If you live in a co-collection community,
cardboard does not have to be flatten if it is less that 30" x
30" x 30".
3. The container is made out of a
grade of plastic that is not acceptable for recycling.
Why: There are 7 basic resins of
plastic which can be made into thousands of variations. You can identify
the type of plastic resin by looking for the recycling loop, known as
the mobius loop, which is on or near the bottom of all plastic
containers. Inside this loop is a number which identifies the resin
type. The different resins of plastic all have particular attributes
that make it best suited to a particular application. It is these unique
characteristics that determine whether they can be collected from the
blue box, and in turn be recycled.
The Association currently accepts rigid
screw top containers marked with numbers 1, 2 and 4 and all grades of
wide mouth tubs. Other plastic materials which have been left in the
blue box are not easily recyclable. Polystyrene (#6 PS) for example has
the potential of food contamination, which when coupled with the low
weight of these containers makes them environmentally unfeasible for
recycling.
Options: When making purchasing
decisions, look for containers/packaging that can either be reused or
recycled.
4. The plastic container does not
fall into the category of rigid screw top container or wide mouth tub.
Why: There are different resins of
plastic, with various forms of these resin types. There are numerous
product variations which may be marked with one of the acceptable
resins, but which do not fall into the category of either rigid screw
top container or wide mouth tubs. There are unique processes which are
used to create both screw top containers and wide mouth tubs. The former
is blow moulded while the latter is injection moulded. To ensure
recycled resin quality when recycling plastic, it is crucial that resin
type with different molecular structures or viscosities not be mixed.
For example, there are many forms of
PET, like there are with all grades of plastic. These different forms
are not compatible. PET Microwaveable trays/containers are often black
or some other dark color and when they are melted to make new plastic
products cannot be colored because of their dark pigment. The companies
that currently purchase PET from the Association require plastics that
can be colored in order to make clothes and carpets. PET cookie trays,
& other similar PET packaging often contain some non-plastic filler
such as Glycol, which is not compatible with either rigid screw top
containers or wide mouth tubs.
Options: When making purchasing
decisions, look for containers/packaging that can either be reused or
recycled.
5. Milk cartons and other waxed
cardboard / boxboard are not recyclable.
Why: When cardboard or boxboard is
coated with wax, it is referred to as polycoat. The only way to recycle
this type of material is through a special process called hydropulping.
There are currently only a couple of mills that have this process and
because of the lack of volume and distance to market it is not
economically feasible to collect this type of material at this time.
Options: Buy milk in plastic jugs made
from #2 HDPE and recycle them, or buy milk pouches and produce less
waste.
6. Foil bags such as potato chip
bags or cookie bags are not acceptable in the Blue Box.
Why: These products are multi-layer
products, made up of plastic, aluminum, & sometimes paper. They
cannot easily be separated once they have been combined resulting in no
markets for this type of material. For this reason we canít take other
types of multi-layer containers, eg Pringles containers or frozen
juices.
Options: Potato chips and cookies can
be purchased in bulk & stored in reusable containers or plastic
bags.
7. Juice boxes are multi-layered
products which cannot be collected for recycling.
Why: This material, sometimes referred
to as Tetra Paks, is called aseptic packaging and is made up of 3
materials: 70% paper, 24% polyethylene and 6% aluminum. The same
technology used to "recycle" polycoat material such as milk
cartons is required to deal with aseptic packaging and there are only a
few distant facilities that accept this type of material. This type of
single serving container have an excessive amount of packaging,
including a drinking straw and wrapper which is also not recyclable.
Options: Purchase juice in a large
glass or plastic container which can be put into a reusable plastic or
glass container.
8. Tissue paper and paper towels are
made from a low grade of paper that is usually contaminated.
Why: These type of paper products are
made from a low grade of paper that cannot be mixed with other grades of
paper. Their fibres are not strong enough to be recycled and the
contamination resulting from their use is a health concern.
Options: Instead of using paper
products like those which need to be thrown out, use a handkerchief,
dish towels, rags or cloth napkins.
9. Coffee cups from stores and fast
food restaurants are not acceptable in the Blue Box.
Why: These types of containers are
typically treated with a coating to prevent the liquid inside from
seeping out, and therefore cannot be mixed with other types of paper.
For the same reason, we cannot take the frozen concentrated juice/drink
paper containers.
Options: As an alternative to single
serving coffee cups, why not use reusable mugs when you go to the coffee
shop. When purchasing juice/drinks, look for containers that can be
reused or recycled such as those packaged in plastic jugs (#1 or #2),
steel or glass containers.
10. Paint and Aerosol cans must be
empty.
Why: Paint cans must have less that
1/4" of DRIED paint, and the aerosol cans must be completely empty
before the driver will take them for collection. Liquid paint is
considered hazardous waste, and must be disposed of properly through
hazardous waste collection days or sites.
Item(s) left in your bluebox are
waste and are to be included with your garbage.
