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Top 5 Recycle Tips for Beginners

6/17/2015

 
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Top Five Recycling Tips:

 Recycling is now the law. Starting July 1,2015, Vermont's Universal Recycling law bans listed recyclables from the landfill. For some central Vermonters, this won't change how they do things. But many people will be recycling for the first time. These Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District top tips can help you get started. 
 
1.    Make it easy: place a recycling bin beside every trash bin in your house. Don’t have enough bins? You’re better off having fewer trash cans, and making sure the ones you do are paired with a recycling receptacle, than having too many trash cans. This applies even in the bathroom: shampoo bottles, toilet paper tubes, toothpaste boxes – these all go in the recycling, too.

2.    Label it. At CVSWMD, we prefer recycling bins to be blue, simply because it’s become a color widely associated with recycling. To be successful, designate your recycling bins either by color, or with a “Recycle” label. You can purchase bins; your hauler may provide them for free; or you can just use a cardboard box and label it with a sharpie.

3.    Show, don’t tell. Hang a poster of mandated recyclables near or on every recycling bin until it becomes second nature in your home. CVSWMD has recycling flyers available for download, or stop by our office at 137 Barre Street for hardcopies. For people who have never recycled before, it helps to get a visual reminder of what goes in the blue bin.

4.    Clean it: you don’t HAVE to rinse out your recyclable bottles and cans, but you should. No need to wash and sterilize, but rinse that yogurt cup or bean can before tossing it in the recycle bin. It will keep your own bins pleasant, and the people who have to sort it later at the Materials Recovery Facility will appreciate the consideration.

5.    Talk about it: your hauler or facility operator handles recyclables every day. They can answer questions, and so can staff at CVSWMD. Call us if you have any questions about recycling or the Universal Recycling Law, 802-229-9383 x102.

Already recycling and want to do more? Check out the CVSWMD Additional Recyclables Collection Center. We can reuse or recycle three dozen hard to recycle items.

 
Cassandra Hemenway, Zero Waste Outreach Coordinator

Larry Weaver link
12/7/2017 04:35:16 pm

Thanks for the tip to clean out bottles before recycling so that it makes it for an easier time at the Materials Recovery Facility. Recycling isn't something I've really tried before, but I wan to start doing, so I've been thinking of looking into recycling services. Cleaning what I recycle will be something that I'll try my best to do.

Cassandra Hemenway link
12/8/2017 08:38:33 am

Hi Larry - So glad you're thinking about recycling! If you live in Vermont, recycling has become mandatory in Vermont since we posted this article. The state of Vermont has a great brochure that shows what's included in mandatory recycling, and it has contact info for your local solid waste management district. Check it out here: http://dec.vermont.gov/sites/dec/files/wmp/SolidWaste/Images/Brochure-FIN.pdf

Kyle Wayne link
1/31/2018 07:24:32 pm

I love that you talked about just talking with a professional if you have questions so make sure you recycle correctly. My neighbor is looking to recycle diesel particulate filter but wants to make sure he does it right. I'll be sure to talk to him about contacting a professional.

Taylor Bishop link
4/11/2018 08:54:20 am

I just wanted to thank you for going over some recycling tips. I'm glad that you explained that you should try to clean out recyclable bottles and cans by just simply rinsing it out. It seems like you should do this as soon as you are done using the can so that you can effectively rinse it out instead of scrumming out any grim later.

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Kenneth Gladman link
6/25/2018 07:59:54 pm

I like that you mentioned making recycling easy to ensure it gets done. This is the best way to get people to do it. I am more than happy to recycle if the trash is clearly labeled as such.

Penelope Smith link
8/16/2018 10:37:00 pm

This is some really good information about recycling. I liked that it would be smart to make it really easy to do. Having bins in your home that is labeled for each different type of recycling materials will help make it easier. That is good for me to know because I want to start recycling.

Olivia Jones link
8/22/2018 10:29:05 pm

I appreciate that you talked about the benefits of labeling our recycling bins so we can manage our waste properly. We also have the options to color coordinate our bins so it would look more presentable. My sister is an advocate of recycling and not letting anything go to waste. She will love your ideas on recycling.

Mark Murphy link
10/18/2018 11:40:23 am

I really appreciate your tip to label all of your recycling bins until it becomes second nature. My wife is very environmentally conscious, and I want to try and make our house has a small carbon footprint. I will be sure to tell my wife that we should try and label all of our recycling cans!

Adam Golightly link
4/21/2020 07:32:25 pm

My aunt is thinking about getting rid of some of the green waste from her garden so she can get rid of it in a way that is really healthy. She would really like to get some help from a professional so that she can get rid of it better. I'll be sure to tell her about how she should clean her recycle bin so that it is pleasant and not really smelly.

Pauline M Brewster link
11/14/2020 09:14:15 am

This article is so wonderful and informative!! Thank you for sharing and encouraging the use of corn based bags. There is so much misinformation out there that I believe is pushing dog owners to just give up and use plastic. I did want to point out though – the link to Earth Rated is to their plastic bags. That might be confusing for folks and they may end up with the plastic option they make. We appreciate your work

Cassandra Hemenway link
11/16/2020 10:29:28 am

Hi Pauline - This post doesn't talk about using biodegradable dog poop bags - it's just about recycling in Vermont. However, I agree that biodegradable "plastic" is a complicated topic in general, and one that requires some understanding about looking for 3rd party certifications from the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), and also to know that some companies will "green wash" by calling something biodegradable that in reality is not. Thanks for bringing up this topic although it's not directly related to the post about recycling. It's a good thing to consider in any case!

Bob link
12/2/2020 06:49:14 pm

I didn't know that you could use biodegradable poop bags. My dog poops on our walks and I want to clean it up. I'll have to get the right kind of bag that I can throw away.

Eli Richardson link
2/5/2021 02:20:27 pm

It's great that you talked about how it's important to wash your plastic before recycling them. My wife and I are planning our spring cleaning season, and we think we might have a few things that could get recycled. We'll be sure to check them out and separate them. We're grateful for your information about how to recycle more consciously.

Cassandra Hemenway link
2/8/2021 09:35:34 am

Thanks Eli! We also have a recycling webinar coming up that goes into more detail about what goes in and what stays out of your bin, and why it's important to keep "contamination" (anything that is not on the list of mandated recyclables) out of the bin. If you're interested, here's the link to sign up: https://www.cvswmd.org/workshop-registration.html


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Office  | 137 Barre St, Montpelier VT 05602-3618| 802-229-9383 | comments@cvswmd.org
Office Hours: M - F, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
ARCC  | 540 No. Main St, Barre VT 05641 | 802-476-1900  
ARCC Hours: M, W, F, 10:30 am - 5:30 pm and 3rd Saturdays, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
ARCC Closed for Lunch: M, W, F, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm 

*CVSWMD Member Towns: 
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