Before the representative from ReCommunity (acquired by Republic Services), Steve Hastings, presented his in-depth “Recycling Has Halted and Here’s Why 101 Class” to City Council back in May 2018, it was easy for people to say: “My recycling bin is full! I recycle everything! It’s great!”

Thing is - it wasn’t great - and all that extra stuff that may have been thrown into the recycling bin - like a kids’ toy, a dirty bottle of liquid laundry detergent, or a yogurty yogurt cup - was and is contaminating the recycling batch, rendering it useless. And while Steve never committed to saying what happens to disposed of matter that is not recycled, you would need to just think about where the recycling goes when it can’t be recycled - straight to the trash. Wherever that is, and in whatever form that takes.

After the de-brief and the resulting feelings of “Horrors! This is awful! Nothing I am recycling is probably being recycled!” people wanted clearer guidelines. The Beacon Green Coalition heard that call loud and clear, and developed a nifty new flyer in 2019. You may still see it hanging around. Ask the city to email you one if you want to print it out at home. Here’s what it says:

“Wish-cycling” - When You Think You’re Recycling But Really You’re Just Messing It All Up

Steve the recycling professional stressed the harmful effects of “Wish-Cycling.” That moment when you empty the applesauce jar and you toss it into the blue bin. Or when you just finished a sushi meal and you toss all of the soy sauce- and wasabi-covered plastic plates into the blue bin. Or when you’re cleaning out your kid’s toy room, and you recycle about 20 little plastic toys and lone battery backs.

“When In Doubt, Throw It Out”

Steve actually said this during the presentation in 2018. Several times. He begged people to throw away things if they weren’t sure if it should be recycled or not. But how do you know? How would you know that soggy cardboard or a meat juice-soaked paper bag was not eligible anymore for recycling?

The Easy-Peasy Recycling Guide

Here’s the breakdown of everyday items that can or cannot be recycled, as produced by the Beacon Green Coalition:

Rigid Plastic

YES (rinse everything)
Beverage containers: jugs, bottles, cups.
Food containers: clear clamshells, tubs, laundry detergent bottles (but rinse it 100% - if you can’t, then switch to powder)

TIP: If it’s paper or plastic and smaller than a credit card, throw it out.

NO
Plastic bags, straws (they always slip out of the recycling batch - too small), plastic utensils (forks, knives, spoons), caps (smaller than a quarter - just screw it back onto the beverage container), plastic wrap, Styrofoam, items smaller than a credit card.

Paper & Cardboard

YES
Newspapers, magazines, brochures, paper bags, mail including junk mail, envelopes with plastic windows, phone books, waxed cartons (e.g. juice and milk), shredded paper in a clear tied bag, corrugated cardboard and paperboard boxes, paper towel and toilet paper rolls, foil-lined cartons (for soup stock, etc).

NO
Soiled paper, food-soiled paper plates, pizza boxes, tissues, paper towels, coffee cups or lids.

Metal

YES
Aluminum and metal cans, metal jar lids and caps, empty aerosol cans, rinsed foil wrapping, pie plates, and trays.

NO
Hangers (return to dry cleaner), scrap metal (bring to a scrap metal recycler), foil juice pouches.

Glass

YES
Bottles and jars, other food containers, beverage containers, all cleaned glass products (even broken ones),

NO
Pyrex, ceramics, light bulbs, window glass.

Don’t Recycle These Household Items:

Batteries, electronics, cords (can be recycled at Best Buy - even Christmas lights!).
Plastic bags (take them to any large grocery store).
Plastic children’s toys

Handy Tips

Rinse rinse rinse! It’s a total waste if you don’t. You might as well not throw it into the recycling bin. It contaminates the entire batch. China won’t buy it, and we’re sunk.

Don’t bag the recycling - loose loose loose! Unless it’s shredded paper. And then put it into a clear plastic bag.

When in doubt, throw it out. :(… But let’s just know what to recycle in the first place, thanks to this handy guide from the City of Beacon and Beacon Green Coalition!