Recycling Update

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From Bryan Johnson, City of Madison Recycling Coordinator:

New Guide

Ever have any questions about whether or not this thingamajig or that doohickey is recyclable in your cart? Well, we have an easy-to-use two-page guide available to help you.

The guide should answer most questions people have about cart placement rules and what can, and what should not, go into the recycling cart.

For example, did you know that you can recycle aseptic/gable top/Tetrapak cartons? You sure can. Just give them a rinse to wash out the residual food bits, and put the lid back onto them.

Did you know that you should keep the lid closed on your carts when they’re out for collection? Most definitely! Rain water and snow ruins paper in the cart. If your cart is too full, maybe you can exchange it for a larger size, or maybe even buy a new cart (or could just buy less stuff, too).

And did you know that you should not put Christmas tree lights or any tangling hazards in the recycling cart? It’s true. No tanglers in the cart – please. These ropy items can cause serious problems at the recycling center that sorts our material. You can recycle Christmas tree lights year-round and other electronics at our drop off site, but they should not go into the cart.

The two-pager has a lot of useful information. It isn’t quite as comprehensive as a new Recyclopedia, but it’s a perfect resource to answer the simple, “So, what do I do with…” questions that all of us face when trying to make good choices with our waste.

What Happens After the Green Cart

Speaking of recycling, some may not realize that Pellitteri Waste System is the company that sorts everything from our green carts and gets it to downstream vendors to be recycled. Have you ever watched the video of how your recycling gets sorted by Pellitteri? It’s fascinating, and worth your time if you ever wondered what really happens to all that stuff. Did you know that people actually hand pick contaminants from a conveyor belt? It’s true! Watch the video to learn more.

Let’s Get Involved!

There are many city committees, commissions, and boards who could use a Madisonian like you who cares about your community. A lot of important decisions and discussions happen in these meetings. If you’d like to help decide how the City responds to concerns about the environment, or solid waste, or another community issue then, as they say in Hamilton, you got to be in the room where it happens.

To find openings and apply to join can be found at this link: http://www.cityofmadison.com/CityHall/legislativeInformation/apply.cfm

Thanks for much for your time and your commitment to recycling. We’re hard at work on other projects here. We’ll be sure to email when new updates or changes occur.

Bryan Johnson
Recycling Coordinator