Way back when city recycling first started in these parts (mid-1990's), it was convoluted. Everything had to be sorted, so you had separate bags for glass, plastic, cans, and paper. We didn't have much space to work with in our garage, but my husband managed to set up three separate milk crates for our bags (up high so mice were less likely to invade) and we kept the paper in the house, by the door to the garage because we lacked a laundry or mud room. Unfortunately, it also involved going out in the garage every time you wanted to recycle, which wasn't pleasant when it was 20 degrees.
About six months into the city's program, I began to hear rumors that the garbage men were just tossing the recycled bags all together in the same truck, which made it look like our separating efforts were a waste of time. I began to watch and noticed the same thing. When our mayor was campaigning door-to-door, I questioned him about it, and he reassured me that once it got to the recycling center, everything was separated. I still thought it seemed a little bogus, and sure enough, after another six months, we received notice that our plastic/glass/cans no longer had to be separated. So, I set up a hook on the cabinet door under the sink and we were able to throw everything in there instead of going to the garage. Not that the blue bags hold that much, but it was still better.
Some of the rules back then: Rinse everything out, lids had to be removed and discarded, only corrugated cardboard was accepted, do not crush the cans, and mixed items (like perfume bottles that were glass but had metal attached) were to be just thrown in the regular garbage. Things went well for many years with the only hiccup being when my neighbor called to tell me that someone had taken her paper bag before the recycling trucks came through and she was concerned about personal information being stolen. I decided then that I would drive my paper discards to places that had the big green/yellow recycling bins. An extra step every week, but still manageable.
Then, we moved . . . . wouldn't you think a neighboring community would have the same recycling rules? Aren't these bags being taken to the same centers??
New rules in new city: Only #1 and #2 plastics are accepted here, and only in 12 ounce size and larger. That meant no bags, no gardening pots/trays, no cups, etc. Only food/beverage cans/glass. No magazines, tissue paper or food boxes mixed in with the paper. To top it off, recycling is only twice a month. Though since hardly anything is acceptable, there's not a big pile up!
Just when I've got myself trained (limited success with husband and children), I notice new 2017 County Recycling ads in my fb feed. Supposedly, our entire county is supposed to be following these guidelines. We are back to recycling most plastic (only Styrofoam and 'clam shell' boxes not accepted). No limits on glass/cans/cartons/paper. Oh, and we are now supposed to put lids and caps back on everything.
I'm waiting for the government to take over recycling, just to see if they are able to make it more complicated. I believe!
Damn, that is annoying as can be. Thankfully we can just chuck it all in one spot and they take it. Not sure when it started here, but I know it was a pain in the butt when it did, now everything around here is the same as far as I know. Except some places won't let you use black garbage bags anymore. The garbage police want to see what you are throwing out.
ReplyDeleteWhaaattt? No black garbage bags for regular trash? Disturbing! I sure don't want to see people's trash when I'm walking or driving by.
DeleteCould do a whole blog post run on it each week, as in others garbage you peek lol
DeleteI do my best to recycle as well. I live in an apartment building with 250 apartments, which supplies us with many, many recycling bins in the basement. So all I have to do is take my things down the elevator and place them in the designated bins. However, we still have to separate all the recyclables.
ReplyDeleteI reuse my plastic (shopping) bags for either trash bags or storing things. I will also sometimes use them to take my lunch to work.
LOVE the photo you used of Kermit the Frog!!!
Have a super week, my friend!
Ron, I wondered how apartments do it, because all the places I lived prior to being a homeowner was before recycling. Do you separate the items once you get down to the bins, or do you keep separate bags in your apartment? It seems like space would be an issue.
DeleteAnd now I'm picturing you with a really big lunch in your Target bag! LOL! Thanks for stopping by on a Sunday night, Ron.
I think some recycling may be a "feel good" sham as it is difficult to do so economically.
ReplyDeleteI take my stuff to the recycle center every two weeks or so and sort out there.
I'm surprised you don't have city pick up there. Then again, you have to pump your own gas, don't you?
DeleteWhen we lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico and then a section of San Diego County, they recycled with separate bins for this and that items with the rinsing of the items and the numbers they would accept. I got to be a pro of what could be recycled and what couldn't be recycled and then we moved to Montana when nothing was recycled unless you took what could be recycled to places that would pay you for them (mainly aluminium cans). I was appalled at the limit options for recycling, but maybe because its motto was a Big Sky country, there was plenty of land delegated for land fill, etc. I recycled what I could (newspapers, aluminum cans). In Southern California we had 3 trash cans and 3 trash trucks that routinely picked up weekly, green waste, recyclables, and basic trash. Now we are down to just 2 trash cans. Recyclables and all else. I support the efforts or recycling, I just wish it was consistent from state to tate.
ReplyDeletebetty
Interesting differences. There are some cities here that do provide trash cans to their residents for different trash, but never where I have lived. I remember the aluminum can machines here in the 1980's. Would take what I thought was a lot, but only receive 5 cents! Lol!
Deletethat should be "state" not "tate"
ReplyDeleteOur recycling is pretty straightforward. A blue bin for recyclable items, a brown bin for garden and food waste, and a black bin for everything else. No bin for glass but there's a recycling centre a few minutes' drive away. We've lived in the same city (Belfast) for almost 17 years so no problem with a new location having a different system.
ReplyDeleteSounds sensible! My son got a kick out of the German recycling when he lived there last summer. Very specific and you'd better not make a mistake!
DeleteI would be recycling and using the different trash bins but they don't set up the different trash bins for apartment complexes. It would cost the apartment complex more money to have different trash cans out there so they don't bother.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering how apartments do that sort of thing.
DeleteI've moved quite a few times over the last 9 years and each town/county was different. I am guilty of not trying hard enough. However, no one on our block puts out their recycling bins. Perhaps our town needs to come up with a better system.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear that rules change everywhere and not just here!
DeleteRecycling depends on if there is a market for the product. If the price for glass goes way down, it makes no sense to recycle it. That's what just happened in our county. For other stuff, the county gets money (like aluminum, etc.).
ReplyDeleteI'm an avid recycler. Must be the German in me, LOL. My husband and I generate enough trash to fill two plastic shopping bags per week. We also have a compost heap in our backyard. I remember when we moved the last time, my husband said he could tell that we were getting rid of a lot of junk, because "our trash right now is almost half as much as everybody else's on our street."
I knew you would be a good recycler! I think I am, too. Our family of 3-4 only throws out one kitchen sized garbage bag a week, with 5-6 blue grocery bags of recyclables every other week.
DeleteOur system is pretty good - one big bin you roll out every other week. Only recently they've stopped taking glass because it isn't cost effective and sometimes shatters and ruins the whole load. You can still take glass to the centers. Otherwise, you can recycle just about anything - plastics 1-7, aluminum, tin, mixed paper.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds nice and easy!
DeleteRecycling started here abouts way back in the late '80s but it's been a rocky ride. Participation at first was sparse so the local yokels started doing random trash inspections and fined folks almost causing a riot as the rules changed several times a year but that was only communicated via the local 'Free' press that only half of us got on a regular basis and few actually read the rag. Anyhow, a couple years ago they got one of them new-fangled sorters so we no longer have to sort and separate and they no longer have to inspect, the machine separates, sorts, and even handles rejections. With that and composting there are weeks when we barely have any actual garbage for pickup. Good times!
ReplyDeleteInspections? That reminds me of the ONE time in 22 years that we put something out for pickup before "dusk" on a summer evening. Got a nasty note from the city in our mailbox the next day. Seriously? That's the only crime they have to deal with?
DeleteHey, get the government involved and they'd inspect your skivvies given a chance .....
DeleteGood God, Bijoux, I'm getting a headache. While I certainly support recycling, part of me longs for the good old days when we could just throw stuff out. Good luck sorting this all out!
ReplyDeleteI'm to the point of just putting everything in recycling and not worrying about it. It gives someone else employment if they have to correct my mistakes.
DeleteWeird. I commented on this post three or four different times and none of them ever appeared. Technology can be frustrating!
ReplyDeleteThe words that are now floating somewhere out in cyberspace were along the lines of the fact that recycling is second nature out here, so it's always weird when we visit Ely and there is no program at all. I feel so guilty throwing recyclable materials into the trash!
Sorry for commenting problems. It's irritating!
DeleteIt's surprising to hear when populated places don't have some sort of recycling program in place. I hate throwing stuff in trash as well.