### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-new-to-recycling-a-few-questions/622952/1 "2012-05-24T14:05:15Z")
My city issued new wheeled recycling bins. It’s supposed to be an easier program. No separating of recyclables required. Before we had this brown plastic tub we had to fill and lug out to the curb.
One concern I have is whether anyone will be poking around to see if I put the wrong thing in. Like is a pizza box ok if it has a little food stuck to it? Or all those weird plastic bottle codes they expect us to memorize.
Will I come home and find a ticket if I make a mistake?
Mostly what I plan to recycle is cardboard boxes. I spent an hour ripping apart two big boxes that my new patio furniture came in. That made pieces small enough to fit the wheel cart. I also put my AC filter in to recycle. Hope the garbage cops don’t get me. AC filters are cardboard. Fingers crossed.
Eliminating the sorting is a very positive step on our city’s program.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-new-to-recycling-a-few-questions/622952/2 "2012-05-24T14:12:37Z")
Presumably your municipality sent you a brochure or poster to let you know what can and cannot be recycled (or you could call them). But in my experience, cardboard contaminated by food (such as pizza boxes) or dirty air filters are not recyclable.
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-new-to-recycling-a-few-questions/622952/3 "2012-05-24T14:21:56Z")
Heading out to the curb now to remove the AC filter from the recycle bin. \
Brochure I got lists a lot of stuff we can recycle. There’s also a sticker on the bin.
It didn’t mention if AC filters were ok or not.
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### Author:  [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-new-to-recycling-a-few-questions/622952/4 "2012-05-24T14:25:56Z")
> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> It didn’t mention if AC filters were ok or not.
Might depend on the type of filter…fiberglass filters are probably not recyclable, but cellulose-based ones might be.
Seconding that you should try calling someone…I imagine the brochure has a phone #?
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-new-to-recycling-a-few-questions/622952/5 "2012-05-24T14:26:57Z")
**Another question**
I prefer my beer in glass bottles. Are they ok to recycle? Do I need to rinse them out?
I’ll call the recycle number tomorrow.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-new-to-recycling-a-few-questions/622952/6 "2012-05-24T14:28:32Z")
Glass beer bottles can almost certainly be recycled, but again, that’s up to your municipality. I recommend rinsing them out so you don’t get a sticky mess in the recycling bin.
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### Author:  [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-new-to-recycling-a-few-questions/622952/7 "2012-05-24T14:36:37Z")
> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> **Another question**
>
> I prefer my beer in glass bottles. Are they ok to recycle? Do I need to rinse them out?
>
> I’ll call the recycle number tomorrow.
I’m surprised they didn’t send out a leaflet when they issued the bins, saying what can and can’t be recycled. It’s pretty easy really, just use common sense.
A bit of light food residue on a cardboard box is no problem. A cheese- and grease-laden pizza box should probably go in the normal trash.
FWIW here in my area of the UK they take paper, card, aluminium and steel cans, and plastics with codes 1-4, which is the majority of plastic bottles. Polystyrene (whether expanded styrofoam or regular plastic trays eg for meat) doesn’t go in. Glass is collected, but separately from the wheeled bin - it goes out in a crate. Some areas take it all in one lot, but I think most like to keep it separate so the whole waste stream doesn’t get contaminated with broken glass, which makes sorting hazardous.
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### Author:  [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-new-to-recycling-a-few-questions/622952/8 "2012-05-24T14:39:33Z")
your governmental body may have a website with more detail than the brochure. the brochure may also have a phone number to call with questions.
recycling varies a lot based on population and location and it can change from year to year.
my location recycles cardboard and container board but not if it is contaminated.
my location recycles all beverage glass containers, rinsed without metal caps or rings.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-new-to-recycling-a-few-questions/622952/9 "2012-05-24T15:23:13Z")
Portland will issue a ticket after several warnings about putting the wrong stuff in the wrong bin. We have four friggin’ bins, so mistakes happen. Oddly enough, a pizza box can go in the food/vegetation recycle bin, but not in the paper bin. Glass has its own bin.
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### Author:  [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-new-to-recycling-a-few-questions/622952/10 "2012-05-24T15:31:15Z")
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> Portland will issue a ticket after several warnings about putting the wrong stuff in the wrong bin. We have four friggin’ bins, so mistakes happen. Oddly enough, a pizza box can go in the food/vegetation recycle bin, but not in the paper bin. Glass has its own bin.
We’ve only got the one bin, and once or twice we’ve gotten a note stuck to the lid about an item that was not supposed to be put in there. They don’t like plastic grocery bags, for example, so now when I have an excess of those I take them back to the grocery store, where they have a collection bin for them.
OP: I assume that after a certain number of warnings you may be fined, but it would depend on your municipality. Check your city’s or county’s website - that information is probably online.
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### Author:  [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-new-to-recycling-a-few-questions/622952/11 "2012-05-24T15:35:16Z")
> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> One concern I have is whether anyone will be poking around to see if I put the wrong thing in. Like is a pizza box ok if it has a little food stuck to it? Or all those weird plastic bottle codes they expect us to memorize.
>
> Will I come home and find a ticket if I make a mistake?
I’m the type of person who moves every few years and everyplace I’ve lived has had different rules for recycling.
Everyplace has had different rules for:
What you can and can’t put in the bins
How big the pieces of cardboard can be
What types of cardboard (some only thick corrugated, some any type)
What types of plastic
If metal jar lids are allowed
If you can leave stuff next to the bin
If you get fined for putting recycling in the garbage
If you get fined for putting “garbage” in the recycling
If you pay different amounts for different size bins, one price no matter what size, or nothing at all.
Unless the recycling manager for your community happens to post here I agree with everyone who told you to read the brochure and call the phone number.
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### Author:  [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-new-to-recycling-a-few-questions/622952/12 "2012-05-24T15:54:18Z")
My town’s recycling manager pointed out that our recycling vendor removes pizza boxes if they wind up in with the rest of the cardboard. Apparently grease ruins the recyclability of cardboard, or something like that. Pizza boxes go in the trash, at least here. Definitely check your local brochure.
An interesting aspect to the separate/commingled choice, is the financials. You get more $ per ton for sorted material, but you may get more tonnage if you commingle, which also reduces your trash cost. I wish we didn’t separate, it really makes recycling less convenient
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### Author:  [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-new-to-recycling-a-few-questions/622952/13 "2012-05-24T18:36:01Z")
Ours prohibits cardboard used for frozen food packaging. A lot of it apparently has an additional wax coating applied to the box which makes it unrecyclable.
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### Author:  [@Emerald\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emerald_Hawk)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-new-to-recycling-a-few-questions/622952/14 "2012-05-24T19:28:24Z")
My municipality in NJ prohibits recycling aluminum that touches food like aluminum foil and pie tins, but aluminum cans are fine. Lots of other places do allow aluminum that has touched food, although I’m not sure I would recycle burnt on cheese.
Oddly, my city’s website has LESS information than the printed brochure.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-new-to-recycling-a-few-questions/622952/15 "2012-05-24T19:50:40Z")
I assume that the process for recycling aluminum products, like soda cans, aluminum foil and pie tins, involves melting the metal. So any remaining food particles (even burnt-on cheese) is going to go up in smoke. But municipal policies on recycling vary nonetheless.
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-new-to-recycling-a-few-questions/622952/16 "2012-05-24T19:55:34Z")
Here is the same sticker that’s on our new recycle cart. It’s a pdf.
Seems to list most things.
> **[City of Little Rock, Arkansas - Capital City - Pulaski County | City of...](https://www.littlerock.gov/)**
>
> Littlerock.gov lets you can pay city fines online, gather information about various city services, or meet the Mayor. Sign up to receive up-to-date e-newsletters, adopt a pet, or learn more about a city task force.
What gets confusing is they don’t mention what not to recycle. They just say No Garbage, Yard Waste
Gotchas like food/grease contaminated pizza boxes can trip up newbies like me.
Overall, I applaud the effort to make recycling easier & less time consuming. That encourages more participation from everyone.
> [@](#):
>
> Recycling on a Roll!
>
> Big changes are rolling out with your recycling program in April. Beginning on April 2, 2012, you will be able to conveniently and easily roll your recyclables to the curb.
> Recycling on a Roll!New Single Stream Recycling
>
> Finally the days of sorting paper and fibers from other recyclables are over. Single stream recycling means you don’t have to separate any of your recyclable items from each other. All items will go into your cart: paper, plastic, aluminum, and glass.
>
> New Recycling Carts
>
> Every eligible home will receive a new sixty-four (64)-gallon Waste Management recycling cart (pictured left). Once the program starts you may keep your bin or recycle it by placing it into the cart. Please do not use the cart until week of April 2, 2012, when the new program begins. Carts will not be picked up earlier. Some new items have been added to the recycling program and some are different. Look at the picture below to prepare for the new program.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-new-to-recycling-a-few-questions/622952/17 "2012-05-24T20:09:52Z")
I think the reason they don’t list what not to recycle is that the list would get impossibly long. So instead they list the much smaller set of things that can be recycled.
And your city’s program is more inclusive than mine; I don’t think we can recycle household metals, like old pots and pans.