EVERETT — Waste collection companies advise customers to keep recyclables “clean, empty and dry” because containers sloshing with liquid or goop can contaminate other items at waste sorting facilities.
“When the newspaper or other paper gets wet, it becomes very, very difficult for them to recycle it,” said Heather Trim, executive director of Zero Waste Washington.
But how “clean” is clean enough? And what can locals do to prepare their recyclable items for successful reuse?
Recyclables don’t have to be “dishwasher clean” before going into curbside bins or dumpsters, according to waste industry representatives.
A quick rinse of bottles, cans and containers will do, they said.
With more difficult-to-clean products, like peanut butter jars, you can soak them in water overnight, put the lid back on and shake it to get rid of residue, said WM, or Waste Management, spokesperson Patrick McCarthy, in an email.
For soapy containers like detergent bottles, “skip the rinse,” McCarthy said, “and focus on making sure they’re empty.”
While not necessary, Trim said she’ll toss detergent bottles or peanut butter jars in the dishwasher if she is already doing a load.
Locals need not worry about “remaining water droplets” in containers after emptying, rinsing and shaking them out, according to recycling guidance from the state Department of Ecology.
To keep paper and cardboard dry, residents should keep their recycling carts closed to prevent rain or snow from getting inside.
Lids and caps left on containers can help limit contamination in waste facilities. But not all solid waste companies accept them because they’re small and slip through the cracks during sorting.
WM has cap and lid guidelines for customers:
• Leave plastic caps screwed onto plastic containers, like water or soap bottles;
• And, as a general rule, throw away all other caps and lids on aerosol cans, tin cans and glass products before recycling.
Rubatino Refuse Removal in Everett does not accept any caps, lids or tops.
Republic Services customers should keep all caps and lids on when tossing items in the recycling bin.
Some Snohomish County residents who can’t recycle caps and lids through their curbside waste hauler can send these items to Ridwell, a recycling pickup service with subscriptions starting at $14 a month.
No matter who your waste hauler is, local agencies and experts offer general advice on how to prepare items for curbside pickup:
• Remove tape from cardboard and flatten boxes to make room for other items in the recycling bin;
• Keep labels on bottles and jars, unless they are paper — then you can remove and recycle them;
• And leave staples in paper and cardboard — most paper mills can remove them.
Ta’Leah Van Sistine: 425-339-3460; taleah.vansistine@heraldnet.com; X: @TaLeahRoseV.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
