Plastic bags are the most prominent contaminant in Pembroke’s recycling. Never place plastic bags of any kind in curbside recycling bins. It is important to understand why.
Thin plastics such as bags, mailers, bubble wrap, and case wrap (paper towel pacakaging) can clog and break sorting machinery. When machines are jammed, all operations must stop until an employee manually removes the tangled plastic. It is an extraordinarily dangerous task. It is also costly to the waste management facility and their clients, like the Town of Pembroke. These types of plastic should be reused or recycled at local grocery and retail shops; they have never been allowed in curbside bins.
Some households collect their recyclables in trash bags. This action defeats the purpose of recycling entirely. Because plastic bags are not accepted at the recycling facility, all contents in every plastic bag are sent to the landfill or incinerator. Nothing inside a plastic bag is recycled because the facility cannot recycle the bag. If plastic bags are not allowed, why do so many people bag their recycling?
Many kitchens have a trash and recycling drawer with two fitted bins designed to separate trash from recycling. People often line both bins with trash bags for convenience and cleanliness. But keeping the recycling bin clean shouldn't be a concern because all jars, cans, bottles, and containers should be cleaned and rinsed before recycling. If you line your kitchen bin with plastic, consider dumping the contents directly into the curbside bin and reusing the bag for trash the next round. Remember, throwing your recycling in a trash bag may separate trash but it is not recycling.
If you are interested in having a recycling or waste question answered in a future Trash Talk article, please email Nicole Lydic at nicole.lydic@pembrokecitizenjournal.com
