Whats up with cleaning/prepairing your recycling?

Question

OK, i am planning on starting to recycle in my home. I go through too much plastic/glass/aluminum. What i want to know is, my city along with pretty much every city says you need to prepare your recycling:

take the metal/plastic rings off the bottles

wash the bottles/cans

I just want to make this the easiest possible for my family so they are encouraged to do it (and usually I am lazy). I am willing to separate, and even transport it, but the extra steps I just feel, if they want the c**p, they can do it.

what I want to know, is if I don't do this, and just throw my cans in a bin, and plastic in another, etc, what will happen? will their machinery reject it?

Answer 1

the preparation required is set up by the facility that will accept it. Usually if the items aren't in the condition requested they will be tossed into the landfill. I am a believer in do what is easiest, find out what is required and work out a system that works for you. If it is too overwhelming to do it all, start with the easy stuff and work the other items in later.

go to www.earth911.org and see if there is a local recycle cener with easier requirments.

Answer 2

You do their job for them .

Answer 3

The items have to be cleaned because they can't be mixed into the actual recycled end-product.  Many centers will simply reject items not properly prepared. Those that will clean it use extra energy (factory scale) to do so - somewhat defeating the purpose.  

From my own experience you get in a groove and after a while it's just what you do and no longer a chore.  I don't have weekly pickup so in my house the recycling sits around longer than trash. If it's not cleaned it smells and attracts icky critters.