New Orleans has had curbside recycling for a few years now, but many people are still skeptical that the city is actually recycling what we leave out for pick up. Do you think that everything you place into your recycling bin is going straight to the trash?
The Green Project recently visited a recycling facility in Baton Rouge, and witnessed firsthand that the stuff you are proudly placing in your bin does get recycled. With that in mind, over the next few weeks the Green Minute is presenting: THE MYTHS of curbside recycling.
Plastic bags are NOT recyclable. They clog up the machines and cost time and money for repairs. You obviously should bring reusable bags when you go shopping. But on the rare occasion that you do find a plastic shopping bag at home, bring it back to the store that gave it to you. They have recycling programs in place just for those types of materials.
Bag the bag, baby. Bagging recyclables in garbage bags just gets them pulled and dropped into the landfill pile. Why? Well, because one too many times an employee ripped a bag open — hoping to find clean, shiny cans and bottles — and instead found the contents of someone’s crawfish boil. Let your items be footloose and fancy free in the bins.
Check back next week for more myths of recycling!
