Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
The recycling system throughout San Diego County works when everyone does their part, keeping the right materials in the blue bin and the wrong ones out.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY – Most people want to do the right thing when it comes to recycling, but confusing messages make it difficult to remember the basics. The recycling system throughout San Diego County works when everyone does their part, keeping the right materials in the blue bin and the wrong ones out. Residents make decisions to "Recycle Right" every day when faced with a greasy pizza box, a dirty takeout container or a used single-use coffee cup from a favorite coffee roaster.
Californians generate an average of 6 pounds of waste per person, per day. Therefore, recycling plays a vital role in helping the state reduce waste, conserve limited resources and support the production of the raw materials manufacturers want and need.
If all the waste generated in San Diego County was deposited in San Diego County Credit Union Stadium in Mission Valley, it would take less than three weeks to fill up and it would fill 18 more times each year; therefore, making the best decision now helps in the long run. By following these simple steps, recycling should become less confusing, more efficient and ensure valuable recyclables stay out of the landfill.
"Recycling Right" means accepted materials are empty with no or very little food residue remaining. They are dry with no liquids left. Liquids can ruin paper, cardboard and other materials in the recycle bin making them unrecyclable. They are loose. Do not bag recyclables. Doing so clogs the sorting equipment at the Material Recovery Facility where the contents of recycling bins go to be processed. Place accepted materials in the blue bin loose.
"Recycling Right" cuts down on contamination. Contamination is anything that doesn't belong in the blue recycle bin such as plastic bags, batteries, clothing, cords, hoses, electronics, food, liquids, napkins and paper towels, straws, plastic utensils and more. Many of those items may be recyclable, but not in the blue bins.
Eric Wolff, program coordinator for the county's solid waste planning and recycling, said, "There's a big push to reduce contamination in the recycling bin since 20% or more of what some residents and businesses currently put in the recycle bin is actually not recyclable. Stopping contamination starts with consumers.
"Residents want to recycle. They put items they're not sure about in the recycle bin, hoping it's recyclable. That's called wishcycling and actually causes more harm than good. That's why we're going back to basics," Wolff said.
"Back to Basics" means placing only accepted materials in the blue bin. Throughout the San Diego region, with a few minor exceptions, the four main groups of recyclable items are paper, cardboard and cartons; plastic bottles and containers; glass bottles and jars and metal and aluminum cans and foil.
Kick contaminants to the curb.
Workers and sorting equipment at the Material Recovery Facility are not able to separate out all materials that don't belong from recyclables. Residents throughout the county can help by cutting out wasteful single-use items and switching to durable, reusable materials instead. To learn more about how to "Recycling Right" visit San Diego County's Recycle Right webpage and check out http://WasteFreeSD.org, a countywide resource for information on recycling, reuse, repair and hazardous waste disposal.
Looking forward, San Diego County diverts about 61% of its waste. California has set a goal to reduce landfill disposal by 75%. A study by CalRecycle found that the majority of material brought to landfills could have been recycled or composted.
Submitted by San Diego County.
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