Closing the Loop Closing the Loop Recycling consists of three steps:


1) Collection - residents place recyclables in a drop-off box or curbside bin where it is then collected by a hauler.


2) Processing - the collected recyclables are baled at a material recovery facility (MRF) or recycling processor and sold to manufacturers who make your recyclables into new products.


3) Marketing - consumers purchase the recycled-content products. For recycling to work, you must buy the products that are made from recyclables.


Step 1 - Collection To recycle or not to recycle! It is very important for residents to understand what materials can be recycled in their area. A material that is placed in a curbside bin or at a drop-off site that is not recyclable is called a contaminant.


When residents throw non-recyclables, or contaminants in with their recycling, the recycling facility must separate the garbage from the recyclables. The more contamination, the more staff the recycling facility needs, which can lead to increased prices for collection of your recyclables or even closure of a recycling drop-off site.


The types of materials that can be recycled often vary among communities depending on their recycling contract.


So, naturally


what can and cannot be recycled is often confusing. The best way to avoid recycling the wrong way is to ask.


It is important to


remember that some items that are labeled “recyclable” are not recyclable in this area.


Drop-Off and Curbside Programs Residents have two ways to recycle: curbside or drop-off programs. The majority of communities in the District have drop-off programs in their area. When dropping off materials, be sure to know what is acceptable at each site.


scheduled hours of operation. items at District drop-offs, see Appendix B.


For a list of curbside programs and what can be put in your curbside bin, see Appendix A. Step 2 - Processing


What happens to your recyclables once they are collected? Once collected, your recyclables are taken to a material recovery facility (MRF) or a recycling processor. Here the recycling truck dumps all of the collected recyclables and sorts out any contaminants (non-recyclables) that may be mixed in with the recyclables.


The non-recyclables are then disposed of in a landfill. Magnets, blowers and people separate all of the collected recyclables into each different material type. Each type of material is baled and transported to a manufacturer that will use recyclables to make a new product.


Contamination


Contamination is material that is placed in a curbside bin or recycling drop-off site that is not recyclable. Excess amounts of contamination can increase recycling costs or cause drop-off sites to close. See Appendix A & B for a list of materials that can be recycled in curbside and drop-off programs.


buying recycled: myths and realities


Myth #1: It is difficult to locate recycled-content products. This used to be true, but no longer! From the neighborhood grocery store to national retailers, stores sell thousands of products made from or packaged in recycled-content material. Locating recycled-content products can be as easy as a phone call to your current retailer. Ask your retailer or vendor to offer more recycled-content products or to indicate in their catalogues which products contain recycled materials.


Myth #2: Recycled-content products do not have the quality of virgin materials. Many people have been using recycled- content products for years without even realizing it. Recycled-content products often share the same performance characteristics as their virgin equivalent. These days, recycled-content products undergo the same stringent testing and exact performance documentation as their virgin counterparts.


Myth #3: Buying recycled-content


Also, only drop off materials during For a list of sites and acceptable


products is more expensive. Many variables affect the price of both virgin and recycled-content products. In some cases, it is true that recycled- content products may cost more; however they are not inherently more expensive. Many recycled products are priced competitively with their non-recycled counterparts.


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