# Single Stream Recycling

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-stream-recycling/553612>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 13, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-stream-recycling/553612 "2010-09-13T15:47:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-stream-recycling/553612/1 "2010-09-13T15:47:24Z")

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My area is starting single stream recycling, but (a) how does this get separated out at the recycling center? (Is it sorted out manually?) And, (b) what if you make a mistake placing a questionably recycleable item in the stream?

FYI: I searched the SDMB archives back 2 years and found nothing matching this question.

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**Author:** ![jonesj2205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jonesj2205](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonesj2205)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-stream-recycling/553612/2 "2010-09-13T15:49:10Z")

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I only know what we were told when it started here. Which is yes, it’s separated by hand and non-recyclable items will be removed and discarded.

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**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-stream-recycling/553612/3 "2010-09-13T15:55:10Z")

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It’s usually a combination of both hand- and machine-sorting of materials:

[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tqaiv5sjX5k/hqdefault.jpg "Single Stream Recycling") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqaiv5sjX5k&t=2m20s)

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/J_RWqgXcP_k/hqdefault.jpg "Single Stream Recycling - How It Works") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_RWqgXcP_k&t=1m16s)

Most of the sorting is done by machines using gravity, water, optical sensors, magnets, etc…

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**Author:** ![MrFloppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MrFloppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFloppy)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/single-stream-recycling/553612/4 "2010-09-13T18:48:47Z")

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Jinx… me too. Today was the first day.

Harford County?? 😉

I’m going to need a bigger tote. Too many 12oz glass bottles ☹