Curbside Recycling Video

SOCRRA's Curbside Recycling Video

SOCRRA’s Curbside Recycling Guidelines---2008 (Script)

Thanks to the efforts of our 12 member communities, SOCRRA is able to divert about 15,000 tons (30 million pounds) per year of recyclables from being landfilled! Items collected at the curb are further sorted at our Recycling Center in Troy, shipped to various processors, then converted into new materials. Check out some of these interesting statistics: each year SOCRRA reclaims about 12,000 tons of fiber, 1,400 tons of glass, 1,200 tons of plastic and 500 tons of metal.

This video will help illustrate SOCRRA’s new 2008 Curbside Recycling Guidelines. Some exciting new changes have been made to the program, and we are pleased to offer our participating communities more ways to continue recycling and stay green!

FIBER
Loose-leaf paper, computer paper, paperback books, mail, newspapers, advertisements, magazines, catalogues and phone books can simply be placed in a paper or plastic grocery bag. It’s OK to mix any or all of these items together. When filled, place the bag in your recycling bin. If your recycling bin is already filled, place the bag of paper products on top of your bin. Don’t put the bag at the curb without a recycling bin or it will be collected as trash. Shredded office paper is to be saved in a clear plastic bag, which needs to be placed inside your bin. Hardcover books aren’t picked up curbside yet, since the covers present a unique problem to the paper mills. You are encouraged to bring them to our Recycling Dropoff Center on Coolidge in Troy.

PAPERBOARD/BOXBOARD
Cereal boxes, tissue boxes, paper towel rolls, laundry detergent boxes and other such paperboard items need to be unfolded, flattened and stuffed into your largest such box. When filled, place the box of stuffed items inside your recycle bin. Once again, do not simply place this material at the curb---you need to put it inside your bin.

PLASTIC CONTAINERS
All plastic containers that fit inside your recycling bin are accepted. This includes milk jugs, water bottles, detergent jugs, flower containers, margarine tubs, yogurt cups---no need to look for the number on the bottom of the item. Please empty and rinse all containers before placing in your bin. We know a lot of people have a lot of plastic bags, but these are not collected curbside, so please don’t place them in your bin. Bring them to the Recycling Dropoff Center and they will be recycled there.

METAL
Empty metal cans and small scrap metal items can be placed in your recycling bin. This includes empty and rinsed food and beverage cans, aerosol cans, metal coat hangers, pots and pans, toasters, etc. If it’s primarily metal and fits in your bin---put it in. Empty latex paint cans can also be placed in your recycling bin – see SOCRRA’s Latex Paint Video at www.socrra.org for guidelines on how to dry out old latex paint.

HOUSEHOLD BATTERIES
Household batteries are also accepted in SOCRRA’s curbside collection program although they’re really not recycled—they’re disposed of properly in the State’s only hazardous waste landfill. Simply place batteries in a clean plastic baggie and place in your recycling bin.

GLASS BOTTLES
Brown and clear glass bottles have always been accepted in SOCRRA’s curbside recycling program, but as of July 1, 2008, blue and green glass bottles will also be incorporated into the program. Do not place window glass or ceramic cups or dishware in your recycling bin as these items are not recyclable at this time and actually contaminate the salvageable material.

ASEPTIC CONTAINERS
Empty and rinsed aseptic containers are also new additions to our curbside recycling program. These include: food and beverage paperboard boxes, milk and juice cartons, paper cups, and small drink boxes. Place loose in your recycling bin or mix with your other paperboard products, whatever is more convenient.

If you need another recycling bin, you should contact your local DPW.

CARDBOARD BOXES
After discarding all packaging material, shipping peanuts, Styrofoam, etc., there are a couple different ways to deal with cardboard:

1. Bundles. Cardboard boxes can be unfolded, flattened and bundled with twine or tape. These bundles must be placed inside, next to, or underneath your recycling bin. Bundles should be no larger than 2 ft. wide x 2 ft. long and 1 foot high.

2. Stuffed Boxes. Small, unfolded and flattened boxes can be stuffed either alone, or with other fiber products, into a box roughly the size of your recycling bin. These boxes need to be completely stuffed with fiber materials to maximize efficiency in the collection truck. Place stuffed boxes next to your recycling bin.

Once again, do not place these cardboard items alone at the curb or they’ll likely get picked up as trash. You need your recycle bin to be at the curb so the recycling truck driver knows to stop.

BULKY SCRAP METAL
Large metal items such as grills, bikes, lawn mowers, washers, dryers, and water heaters can be placed next to your recycling bin. It is important to place these items near your recycling bin and away from the trash because the recycling truck drivers will only stop at houses with recycling bins put at the curb.

REMEMBER! – All of the items that can be collected curbside can also be taken to the SOCRRA Recycling Dropoff Center in Troy, as well as several items that cannot be collected curbside:

Bags full of plastic bags
Hardcover books
Automotive batteries
Cassette tapes, DVDs, CDs, VHS tapes, Floppy Discs (these items need to be kept separate with cases removed)
Used clothing, shoes, blankets and toys.