Local Recycling

The markets are always shifting, so it is good to keep informed of current guidelines at your local recycling center. Unlike past years, local recyclers no longer require lids to be removed from containers, but rinsed containers are still preferred overall for safety and sanitation purposes.

“Nobody wants to squish a mayonnaise jar half full of weeks-old mayonnaise,” Morris said. “Tin cans too – they should be washed out. It’s just more hygienic. The cleaner it is, the safer it is for everybody else.”

Developments have also been made in the ways people dispose of other items, such as electronics, batteries and medicines. Alkaline batteries no longer contain mercury and are now just thrown in the trash. It is now illegal to dispose of electronics in a landfill, so local recyclers take in a lot of what is called e-waste. Local facilities even have a hand in disposal of pharmaceuticals, usually in cooperation with local law enforcement.