Northern Colorado residents should always recycle aluminum and tin cans, plastic bottles, tubs, jugs, jars, glass bottles and paper products and cartons.
Republic Services, a leader in recycling and environmental services, is helping customers recognize Earth Day on April 22 with important recycling reminders.
Sixty-five percent of more than 2,000 Americans1 surveyed credited the pandemic with helping them make more sustainable choices, especially related to recycling. Despite this, 26 percent said they still lacked an understanding of what can and cannot be recycled.
According to survey data, consumers are still confused about several recycling basics:
- Forty-three percent believe plastic bags can be recycled in curbside recycling bins.
- Plastic bags require special handling and should be returned to local grocers, retailers or the Timberline Recycling Center in Fort Collins. Never recycle plastic bags in one’s home curbside recycling bin.
- Thirty percent believe foam products are recyclable.Foam products should not be recycled.
- Thirty-five percent think it is OK to recycle containers with small amounts of food residue. Food residue makes items unrecyclable. It is important to clean out items before recycling them.
- Sixty-two percent bag their recyclables at home. Bags make it impossible to know what them is inside, which is a safety hazard, and they can jam recycling sorting equipment. You should never bag your recyclables. Always place the recyclables loosely in the curbside recycle bin.
“The Republic Services team processes 6 million tons of recyclables every year, so we know that our customers care about the environment and want to do the right thing,” said Holli McElwee, Municipal Sales Manager, with Republic Services. “In Northern Colorado, one of the simplest steps people can take is to learn how and what to recycle, which will help our community be more sustainable and protect the environment for generations to come.”
When recycling in Northern Colorado, especially in Fort Collins, residents should remember three simple things:
- Know what to throw – Generally, aluminum, tin cans, plastic bottles, jugs, tubs and jars, glass bottles and jars, cardboard boxes, paper and cartons can be recycled in Northern Colorado.
- Empty. Clean. Dry.™ – Make sure containers are free of food or other residue. Take a few moments to rinse and dry items before tossing them in your recycling bin.
- Don’t bag it – Never bag your recyclable items. Just throw them in the bin loose.
Republic Services provides recycling tips and more for Northern Colorado at GSIwaste.com/customer-corner/guides/ and national resources at RecyclingSimplified.com.
For more information about how customers can bring Earth Day into their everyday, visit www.republicservices.com/earthday and use #earthdayeveryday to join the conversation.