Stop before you toss that plastic yogurt container or paper milk carton into the recycling bin — it’s now refuse, not a recyclable. The city of Eugene on Monday announced a shortened list of what haulers will accept as commingled curbside recyclables.
Springfield, Creswell, Lowell and Veneta residents also will follow the new list, and Lane County adopted similar standards last fall?
Eugene, Springfield and other Lane County residents will have to be more careful about what they put into commingled recycling.
The changes are the latest response to the prolonged drop in demand for recycled materials from China and stateside efforts to improve the quality of materials sent to recycling sorters.
“It’s just reflective of the state the markets are in and the contamination that exists within our system,” said Michael Wisth, city of Eugene waste prevention and green building analyst.
The following are no longer accepted for recycling in Eugene, Springfield, Creswell, Lowell, Veneta and unincorporated parts of Lane County:
Plastic Nos. 3 through 7. This includes yogurt and butter containers of all sizes, clear containers, clear and colored drink cups; shampoo and detergent bottles; and flower pots.
Paper cartons, such as milk and juice containers. (Some haulers previously had taken the cartons.) Aseptic containers, such as those that hold soy milk, almond milk or soup.
Shredded paper.
Lids of all sorts, including plastic or metal, including tin can tops.?
Perhaps it might be easier to review what still is OK to recycle.
When it comes to plastic, that’s milk jugs or beverage bottles, said Aaron Donley, accounts manager for Sanipac, the largest refuse hauler in Lane County.
Cardboard, cereal boxes and paper are still accepted. Glass bottles and jars go in separate bins.
“We hope that through simplification of these items that it will clean up the recycling stream so that in the current recycling crisis there will continue to be markets for our material,” Donley said.
Recycling experts don’t know how much more waste will end up in landfills because of the recyclables change.
To read the full story, visit http://registerguard.com/rg/news/local/36633611-75/new-rules-in-place-for-curbside-recycling-in-eugene.html.csp.