Farewell to the Recycle Symbol
The PBS/Frontline exposé Plastic Wars focuses on the dubious origin of the recycle symbol.
Textile Recycling
“Old rags, any old rags!” was a call heard on many city streets from the late nineteenth century into the 1960s, as the rag man rumbled by collecting textiles from households. In fact, textile recycling can be traced all the way back to the Napoleonic wars (1803-1815) when virgin wool shortages resulted in the requirement…
Know Your to-Go
As a result of the ongoing pandemic, take-out food has become a lifeline; both for those of us hungry for something other than our own cooking, and for the local restaurants depending on us to help them through this unprecedented time. But when it comes to waste sorting, take-out containers have added a whole new…
Tips for Recycling in the Bathroom
Many types of packaging used for bathroom products are recyclable, but as a recycling opportunity the bathroom is frequently overlooked. Follow these simple guidlelines for recycling right in the bathroom. A dedicated container in the area adds convenience and makes recycling more practical. Add a small bin under the sink for recyclables. Labels do not…
Recycling Right in Boulder County
What do equipment downtime, excessive maintenance, added labor costs and reduced commodity values all have in common? They all can result from contamination in the recycling stream. Follow these simple rules to keep the recycling stream clean and the Boulder County Recycling Center operating efficiently: 1. NO LOOSE PLASTIC BAGS AND NO MATERIAL IN PLASTIC…
Environmental Costs of Online Shopping
Virtually all of us at one time or another have enjoyed the convenience and ease of online shopping to purchase everything from toothpaste to mattresses. With companies such as Amazon, Instacart, Blue Apron, in addition to the online options from traditional retailers, Americans spent over $500 billion in online purchases in 2018. However, this convenience…
Managing Battery Waste
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans throw away more than three billion (approximately 180,000 tons) of batteries annually. The vast majority of those landfilled are alkaline. The soup of harmful substances contained in alkaline batteries (which include toxic heavy metals and corrosive acids) are sealed in the manufacturing process, and consumers do not come…
Electronics Recycling
Where is your stash — In a closet? On a garage shelf? Down in the basement? Most of us have an area in the house where outdated electronics accumulate. When you decide to clear the clutter, be sure to do so responsibly. In 2013, the state of Colorado passed the Electronic Recycling Jobs Act prohibiting…
Keep Plastic Bags Out of Your Recycling Bin
Plastic bags are one of the most pernicious, problematic materials for recycling facilities. They cannot be sorted mechanically and as a result they roll along the sorting lines getting tangled up in the screens, jamming the machinery and costing time and money to extract.
Paper Recycling – Take the Quiz
You’ve got the basics down, now it’s time to up your game. Take the “pulp fiction” quiz below to see how well you know the Boulder County Recycling Center’s paper recycling guidelines. Fact or fiction – the following papers are recyclable: Copy or printer paper-ream wrappers Hanging and file folders Construction paper and tissue paper…
