There’s a great deal of confusion as to what is considered recyclable and what is not. Westlake Revelations reader Beth Fiance helped get to the bottom of this and the following information was provided to us by Waste Management. (The answers should be similar for all providers in the area.) If you have additional questions, contact your provider.
Recyclable Materials
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Paper:
Newspaper Paper – All colors (staples in paper okay)
Shredded Paper (put in plastic bag and tie securely)
Paper Grocery Bags
Envelopes (windows okay)
Junk Mail
Phone Books
Magazines
Catalogs/Brochures
File Folders
Books (paperback and hard cover okay)
Cardboard: (Fatten for more recycling)
Shipping Boxes
Cereal & Food Boxes
Clean Pizza Boxes (no wax coating and or food waste)
Metal:
Coat Hangers okay
Glass: (lids & labels okay, no need to rinse)
Bottles & Jars- Green, Brown, Clear
Aluminum & Tin Cans: (labels okay)
Beverage Cans
Vegetable & Soup Cans
Aluminum Foil (must be clean, no food)
Aluminum Food Trays
Plastic:
Bottles, Jars, Jugs, Tubs (look for recycling logo on bottom labeled #1 – #7, no need to rinse)
Grocery Bags
Ziplock bags (clean, no food)
Coat Hangers
VHS Tape
CD?s, CD Jackets
Plastic Toys
Non-Recyclable:
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Food Waste
Fruit Liquids
Restaurant Grease/Oil
Paper Towels
Napkins
Plastic Food Wrapping
Milk & Juice Cartons
Juice Boxes
Chip Bags
Candy Wrappers
Styrofoam
Styrofoam
Peanut Packaging
Bubble Wrap Packaging
Plastic Cups, Lids & Straws
Used Plastic Utensils
Used Paper Plates & Cups
Window Pane Glass/Mirrors
Plastic 3-Ring Binders
Laminated Paper
Electronic Waste (computers, monitors, lap tops)
Hazardous Waste (paint, automotive oil, batteries, solvents)
Fluorescent Light Bulbs
Yard Waste (grass clippings, branches, leaves)
Animal Waste
Recycling Tip: Any wax-coated material is NOT recyclable
Green Waste: Do not bag green waste
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ACCEPTED
Grass
Weeds
Wood chips
Tree branches
Yard trimmings
Untreated wood
Leaves
Shrubs
NOT ACCEPTED
Tree stumps
Bamboo
Palm fronds
Yucca, Ice plant, Ivy
Soil, dirt, rocks
Concrete, asphalt
Painted & treated wood
Animal & food waste
Trash (Regular household waste)
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Do not place rocks, concrete, dirt, recyclables, green waste, hazardous waste, or electronic waste in your container.
Electronic, Sharps, or Hazardous Waste
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Fluorescent tubes and bulbs, electronics (computers, cell phones, TVs etc.), rechargeable batteries, and hazardous products (cleaners, solvents, etc.) do not go in the recycling or trash containers.