How clean does a container have to be before you recycle it?

Question

Usually I give them a quick rinse and put them in the recycling bin. Some hard to remove food might be stuck to them, however. Does it matter? Is rinsing containers even necessary?

Answer 1

I rinse them fairly clean because I have to accumulate them between trips to the recycling place.  I don't want them to smell bad or attract vermin.  There is a point of diminishing returns, though.  If I spend more to clean the container than I save by recycling it, I'm not sure I'm being "green."  You know how long you have to store them, and whether the bins are getting stinky.  Just do enough to avoid health hazards.

Answer 2

Not really. sometimes it has to be really clean or ants come in your house and take bits and more ant and more ants will come if you like ants it doesn't matter but it matters if you hate flies and ants. be careful what you do.

Answer 3

I think a quick rinse is all that it needs.

They clean all the materials before they work with them anyways.

Way to recycle!!

Answer 4

I have been very concerned over this question because many friends don't re-cycle because it is to much trouble.

I called Sonoma county waste management and they put it like this JUST RE-CYCLE bottom line

  take the peanut butter out of the jar and compost it

  you do NOT have to wash out the peanut butter jar, it wastes water and soap and time and energy, peanut butter and plastic  and mayonnaise are very similar chemically. just toss it in.

Answer 5

Quick rinse is best.  Why waste all your water?

Answer 6

I have never had any difficulty with food remaining because when empty I fill with water & let set until I do dishes; would you like to eat off a plate with food stuck on it? If not, wash properly. It doesn't take any longer to do the job right & if you are going to do it; do it right. Milk is gone; water in shake, & be sure rinses clean; mayo gone; in the sink fill with water; when do dishes it's a cinch. I really do not understand the mentality that "it is to hard" to recylce. Is it to hard to breathe?  Or wash a refrig? or mop a floor? The last 2 are harder than recycling folks!

Answer 7

I hardly ever rinse them, unless they're going to stink up my bin. Seems like a waste of water.

Answer 8

I would use the last of my washing up water and as long as most of the residue has gone I would think that this is satisfactory and would not waste to much energy.