Surprise! Five things you shouldn't recycle

comments from our community

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  Posted by Budz Tue Oct 21, 2008 8:09pm PDT

  I'm quite disappointed at the article becoz i belive that there were just focusing on paper(tissue,cardboard,etc.)and simple plastic cups. I think the article is not substantial. I'm xpecting in those things that is non-biodegradble and it's effect when not recycled. I'm expecting on things like PVC, carpets, cigarretes butts that takes years to deteriorate. Hope to be more informative in the next article. Thank you and more power ;-)

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  Posted by GreenC Fri Oct 24, 2008 8:09pm PDT

  I'm a Master Recycler in Portland and no where does the City state you can recycle pizza boxes. You can recycle them IF you remove the food contimanted portions - only! This is why all the literature from Metro does NOT contain pizza boxes as, for the most part, people put them in whole and in doing so, it contimantes the recycling stream. As for caps - yes, of course these can be recycled. However, this article was about recycling curbside and lids/caps/etc. of ANY sort cannot be due to the fact that an additive is used in lids/caps thus changing their composition from their bottom counterparts. AND, lids/caps/etc. get mis-sorted in the sorters at the MRF's because they are too small (they take on the disguise of paper and in turn contimantes the paper). If you're unsure, NEVER just put it in the recycling bin anyways. If you saw how fast the belts moved at the MRF's, it is nearly impossible to catch everything we put in recycling. If in doubt, look it up on your local recycling site. Or as they say, "when in doubt, leave it out". Here in the Portland Metro area, there's a great number to call for ANY recycling question (via Metro). If you put the wrong item in the recycling and employees at the MRF don't catch it, you've just contimanted a whole load of what would have been recycled items. And yes, the article IS incorrect about sticky notes as these CAN be recycled. The MRF's don't like them as they can stick to things they shouldn't, but they are still recyclable. Just use caution and common sense when recycling.

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  Posted by firecopp07 Sat Oct 25, 2008 5:19pm PDT

  Recycling is such a joke. The only thing found to be cost effective in recycling is aluminum. Everything else costs more to recycle than to produce new. Recycling was created to produce jobs in our last recession. Sad, but true.

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  Posted by Louis K Sat Oct 25, 2008 5:46pm PDT

  you take 25 cents worth of recycling to a center. but you use two gallons of gas. than you also polute the air driving you car looking for the recycling center. way, way, way to much green. just look at al gore who made over 100 millon dollars talking about how we live all wrong. he did his house last year and now use 10 per cent more power.

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  Posted by justhere Sat Oct 25, 2008 7:19pm PDT

  Ok so whats the percentage of people that actually care about this???

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  Posted by chelsea Sun Oct 26, 2008 6:25am PDT

  correction, all 5 items listed are most definately recycleable. It is not easy or perhaps worth it to recycling companies to do so. Believe me pizza boxes, the number one snack in america are recycleable. Please don't mis-inform as our landfills are overflowing:)

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  Posted by desertsurf2003 Sun Oct 26, 2008 6:31am PDT

  In other words, recycling is practically a joke. There is way too much of a burden on the consumer, obviously. I and my family simply do not have the time for all this "green" research. Sorry. From the "5 things" article, which is indeed informative, it appears that about half of what my family puts out every week as recyclable paper and plastic products, probably ends up in landfill... Ridiculous!

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  Posted by Solarman Sun Oct 26, 2008 6:40am PDT

  Thanks for the tip on plastic caps I thought they were all recycleable...........ttyl

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  Posted by get over it Sun Oct 26, 2008 7:16am PDT

  it may surprise you to know that many of the "recycle" bins in grocery stores are merely glorified trash cans. this tactic is used to get you in the store. more than likely, the plastic is thrown in their trash compactor. i am speaking from seeing it happen.

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  Posted by Karen Sun Oct 26, 2008 8:01am PDT

  A lot of local supermarkets in my area are now accepting the plastic bags to be recycled. One also offers a nickel discount for every cloth grocery bag you bring in to use instead of the plastic ones :)

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  Posted by Kate Sun Oct 26, 2008 10:07am PDT

  You CAN recycle pizza boxes--please amend this article to correct that misconception!

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  Posted by too long gone Sun Oct 26, 2008 10:29am PDT

  I will never give up my garbage disposal!!!! That way the animals will not strew my garbage around. We only have pickup once a week and you would not be able to tolerate the smell in the summer and it would freeze in the winter and the garbage men leave anyting that sticks to the can in the can. You need to start somewhere else to train people than with my garbage disposable!!!! There is no one near where I live that handle recyclables so how about starting there!!!!!

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  Posted by Rick Sun Oct 26, 2008 10:31am PDT

  Old money! Send it to me. I'll dispose of it safely.

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  Posted by limpboxy Thu Nov 13, 2008 10:52am PST

  check your state's regulations! this article is not completely accurate and could be misleading. if you live in california, they will recycle plastics with number 1-7 (and i suspect many other states as well). if you are interested in being green, it's best to look into your state and city regulations.

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  Posted by justwondering Sun Nov 16, 2008 5:11pm PST

  It is really stupid for community based recycling programs to be so picky when they charge you to collect your recycling, which they mandate that you do (it's NOT optional in a lot of places), then they reduce the size of your garbage can. If it's plastic, cardboard or metal it goes in the recycler. If they don't want it when it gets there, let them deal with it. This is 2008. Get some technology.

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