Recycling: beyond the basics...

Enjoy Betty's article in this month's Abode here or in newstands or on their website:

Recycling with the stars

You may already consider yourself a recycling expert, so this month two local pros, Sonny Beale of UVA Recycling and Bruce Edmonds of the McIntire facility, help answer recycling conundrums of a subtler kind.

DON’Ts: Avoid recycling the packaging from reams of paper, Sonny Beale reports. It is woven with protective plastic and damages recycling pulp machines. The same goes for the paper backing on sticker labels for nametags and mailings, as well as wax-coated paper cups and milk cartons. Tissues and paper towels cannot be recycled for sanitary reasons .

DOs: Turns out you don’t need to cut out the plastic window from your mail envelopes. “Just toss it in with your other junk mail and office paper,” Bruce says. Also, gift-wrapping paper (including tissue wrapping paper) is recyclable in the paper bin. Avid recyclers will be glad to know that Blue Ridge Packing Store on Preston reuses those annoying sheets of Styrofoam that large electronics or appliances are packed in, as well as air bags. Empty spray paint cans and other aerosol cans are recycled with the metal cans after removing the plastic top. And speaking of lids: The plastic ones join the 1s and 2s and metal jar tops join the steel bin.

Finally, how clean does the peanut butter jar have to be? “Pretty clean,“ Bruce advises. Which means? “One good rinse is enough; a dishwasher cycle is not necessary.” This comes from the head manager of a facility that boasts zero contamination. Trust it and recycle onward, green warriors!

Best,
BWB