Is recycling big where you are at?

[53' Stude]

Ok, thought about this question this a.m. as I was putting trash and recyclables out. Where I grew up, some people burned their trash, as some areas had no recycling and didnt care to pay for trash pickup. Now, I notice if I put any old metal, scrap etc out; its gone in less than 20 minutes. At work we have a plastics recycling bin/thing, and two dumpsters; one for trash, other for cardboard. The scrap we generate; we take to local and very large scrap place. The oil filters; OFR or oil filter recycling takes them. Just wondered what recycling and refuse collection is like where you folks are at. Thank you for the replies in advance also.

 

[michaelluscher]

Yes.

 

[dlundblad]

A family friend has the recycling contract for our county ironically. They stay very busy.

Our household has more recycling than trash on a weekly basis. The recycling is picked up bi weekly whereas the trash is weekly. It could easily be the other way around.

 

[53' Stude]

Michaelluscher, where you are at; dont grocery stores, etc give you money back on glass or plastic bottles?

 

[53' Stude]

thanks dlundblad for the info

 

[NMBurb02]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Our household has more recycling than trash on a weekly basis. The recycling is picked up bi weekly whereas the trash is weekly. It could easily be the other way around.

Same here. We have curbside pickup bins for trash, mixed recyclables, and green waste (lawn clippings, leaves, etc. - picked up weekly). As far back as I remember (at least 20 years) we have had at least trash and recycle bins at the three single family homes in which I have lived. When I lived in apartments and a condo it was trash only in the community dumpsters. I was so used to recycling when I moved into my first apartment that I would save up my recyclables and make the mile drive to put them in my parents' bin. All of this was suburban living.

 

[Chris142]

yes. we are constantly bombarded by bums wanting our scrap

 

[GMFan]

Yes. In fact they can fine you around here if they find recyclables in your trash. Freedom at its finest.

Where I work people push shopping carts all day and go through our office buildings dumpster to get the soda cans etc to take to the bottle deposit machines.

 

[53' Stude]

I see. Thanks for the info Chris142

 

[John_K]

Around here it's voluntary, then the idiots in charge gripe that only 14% of households participate. Well, duh, make it mandatory!

John

 

[bdcardinal]

We have curbside pickup for mixed recycling, green waste and trash. Our trashcan for the house is the smallest they offer and our green waste and recycling are the largest they offer. We have only filled the trash can once or twice in the 3+ years since my grandma died (she was morally opposed to recycling.)

I have a row of trashcans inside the fence in the backyard where I have aluminium cans, plastic bottles, and the different color glass bottles to take back myself for money. Scrap metal I bring to work and sell it to our scrap guy.

 

[Bluestream]

I would guess 75% of my waste going into recycling...How much is actually recycled my Waste Management is another story...

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
We have curbside pickup for mixed recycling, green waste and trash. Our trashcan for the house is the smallest they offer and our green waste and recycling are the largest they offer. We have only filled the trash can once or twice in the 3+ years since my grandma died (she was morally opposed to recycling.

I think Californian are required to have 3 separate containers for mixed recycling, green waste and trash.

We are supposed to separate mixed recycling and trash and we are required to pay for it too.

 

[Merkava_4]

Where I'm at, the city charges us a monthly fee for picking up our recycles and then they turn around and sell the recycles for a profit. In the meantime, we're suppose to wash all our recycles and pull the staples out of the magazines.

 

[morepwr]

There are guys driving around my area in old beat up pick up trucks always looking for something to take. They dumpster dive almost daily and will take anything left outside overnight. On the plus side, if I have anything I need gone, I just flag one down and they are happy to take it! Old washing machine, engine block, etc.

 

[bubbatime]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Our household has more recycling than trash on a weekly basis.


As does my household. The county gives us a 95 gallon trash can for trash and a 65 gallon trash can for mixed recyclables. The recycle bin is always completely full to the top while the trash can might have two mags of trash. You'd be surprised how much of your trash is recyclable.

 

[Donald]

Around my area its single stream recycling. Everything goes in one container and they sort it out latter. We have deposit on soda and beer cans/bottles so the majority of them are returned. I have read that the rate of recycling has somewhat stabilized and its unclear if they can get people to recycle a higher percentage.

I heard NY city was considering recycling food waste from restaurants but not sure where that stands.

In Norway or Denmark they built trash to power stations and they do a great job. But the citizens got so good at recycling there that there was not enough trash, so they import trash now.

When I was a kid people talked about sending rocket ships to the sun to get rid of trash, now we laugh at that thought.

 

[01rangerxl]

Depends on what it is around here. Anything metal will be picked up quick if you don't scrap it yourself.

Plastic bottles, paper, etc. though...not so much. It's very common to see stuff like that thrown out on the side of the road...forget about it even making it to a trash can, let alone a recycling bin.

At work we recycle tons of cardboard as a byproduct of our business and get paid for it. We have a huge cardboard dumpster, and actually will go pick up discarded boxes from liquor stores and such just to add to our cardboard to recycle.

 

[michaelluscher]

Originally Posted By: car51
Michaelluscher, where you are at; dont grocery stores, etc give you money back on glass or plastic bottles?


NYC. They charge you a deposit and you can return your glass/plastic for a refund.
We have curbside pickup of paper/cardboard and paper/plastic.

 

[Neely97]

Not required .