My (small)city doesn't pick up materials from recycling bins, is there any way I can still recycle?

Question

And does anyone have a specific list of what to put in recycling bins?

Answer 1

Look in your phone book for a local recycling center. I hope there's one not too far away. My daughter lives in a small town with no recycling too, but having come from a state/county that has a great recycling program, she couldn't stand sending all that recyclable stuff away to a landfill. She found a recycling center in her town and she just bags her things separately -- glass, plastic, paper/cardboard -- and drops it off when she has full bags. Sadly, her friends and neighbors think she's crazy, they don't get it. :o(  Recycling should be mandatory -- everywhere.

Answer 2

start a compost pile in you front yard throw all your trash in it

Answer 3

Aluminum and copper are valuable, so save them and go to a recycling center where they will pay you for them.  

Keep a separate plastic container for your aluminum cans, and  if you do any remodeling in which you change plumbing and wire, save what is taken out.

Answer 4

yes, many supermarkets have bottle returns where you can return glass, aluminum and plastic bottles and even get money for doing it.

Answer 5

I live in Fort Worth Texas and this is the list they give on the city website. I'm sure it's practically identical to your area.

Paper Items



    * newspapers

    * magazines

    * phone books

    * junk mail and envelopes

    * office paper

    * flattened cereal boxes

    * flattened cardboard that will fit in bin

    * paper bags

Glass

    * clear, brown and green glass jars & bottles

    * remove lids and discard

    * lightly rinse

    * labels - OK

Plastic

    * Bottles, cups and jars – rigid plastic containers with #1

       through #7 recycling symbols on bottom of container;

       remove caps and lids and recycle

    * Food trays, tubs and bowls – with #1 through #7 recycling

      symbols on bottom of container

    * lightly rinse

    * labels - OK

    * No plastic bags

    * No Styrofoam items

    * Click here for a detailed list of recyclable plastics.

Steel, Tin & Aluminum Cans

    * lightly rinse

    * labels - OK

Do not put the following items in your recycling bin:

    * medical waste (needles, syringes, lancets)

    * styrofoam

    * pizza boxes

    * plastic grocery bags

    * aluminum foil

    * plastic toys, dishes & bowls

    * milk/juice cartons (wax coated)

    * light bulbs, windows, mirrors

    * pesticide / chemical containers

    * motor oil / antifreeze containers

Answer 6

It would probably be best for you to simply reduse... little to no plastic, etc.

Yard trash, newspapers, magazines, and cardboard can be composted along with food scraps, (no meat or fats). You may be able to find a "drop off" location for glass and aluminum.

It used to be that you couldn't compost magazines because of the heavy metals in the ink, but the Sierra Club did a study about the inks, and found that magazines have less heavy metals than straw/hay!!! Because of all of the overfarming.

Answer 7

Save it up for trips to the *big* city.  

My city (Knoxville, TN) now takes *all* plastic, any paper, newspaper (seperate bin), cardboard, three colors of glass, 2 metals, and other things depending upon the particular public recycling center.