Why Does It Matter?
By now we all know that we can recycle materials like glass, plastic, metal and paper, right? Did you know that you can also now recycle cartons? That’s right! You can now put cartons in your recycling bin. These are exciting times in the world of recycling as more and more manufacturers are recapturing the value in your trash. So spread the word, share the news with your friends, neighbors and the school cafeteria that you no longer have to trash those cartons.
What Should You Do?
Recycle your cartons in your curbside Ray’s Recycling bin or at one of the District’s twenty-four hour Recycling Drop-off Centers in Lizton, Coatesville or Stilesville.
Cartons accepted include:
· Gable-topped cartons that generally contain Milk, soy and nut milk, juice, cream, and egg substitute.
· Flat-topped cartons that generally contain Broth, Soup, Wine and Tea.
How to prepare your cartons for recycling:
· Rinse the cartons. They don’t need to be pristine, just clean enough to not cause foul odors in your bin.
· Remove straws from drink boxes and caps from cartons. Lids can be recycled with the other plastics. Straws cannot be recycled.
Special Instructions for the District’s Recycling Drop-Off Centers:
· The District’s Drop-off Recycling Centers are “dual stream” recycling collection centers. That means that the paper products go in one bin and the glass, plastic, steel and aluminum go in another. Cartons should be placed in the paper recycling bins.
Dig Deeper.
You may be wondering how these cartons are actually recycled… After cartons are collected, they are hauled to a materials recycling facility (MRF) to be sorted and baled. The bales of recycled cartons are then shipped to paper mills. At the mills, the cartons are mixed with water in a gigantic blender to extract the paper fiber from the plastic and aluminum. The paper fiber is then ready to be used in making new products such as office paper, facial and toilet tissue, paper towels and even building materials like the outside layer of wallboard. What recycled cartons become depends on the area of the country and the mill itself. By recycling, you are putting your cartons back in business as items you use every day! Keep up the good work, Recyclers!
Next Edition…
It seems to be everywhere—in our yards, parking lots, trees and ditches. It’s litter and it’s disgusting! Next month we’ll share how litter impacts our environment and ways we all can help curb the problem.
