City Of Claremont: Recycling Contamination

Press release from the City of Claremont:

08/11/2021

Did you know that up to 30% of the material recycled in Claremont is actually trash? Often with the best of intentions, residents frequently discard items that are not recyclable in their blue recycling bin. This process is known as “aspirational recycling” or “wish-cycling” and is less sustainable and more costly than sorting appropriately. When in doubt, throw it out.

One of the most common issues is plastic bags and film. Recyclables cannot be bagged in a plastic trash bag. The bags full of recyclables will be discarded as trash at the recycling facility. Recyclables should be placed loosely in the container for service.

The best way to ensure an efficient and environmentally sustainable recycling program is to only discard clean, dry, recyclable items in the recycling container. Claremont residents should focus on getting back to the basics by recycling only these basic types of material:

• Plastic Bottles, Jars, and Jugs (Resin Codes #1 and #2)
• Aluminum and Tin Cans
• Mixed Paper and Cardboard
• Glass Jars and Bottles

The cost of recycling is increasing across the Country and contamination compounds costs even further. Items such as plastic bags and plastic-wrapped magazines must be sorted and removed at the recycling facility and then re-routed to the landfill. This results in added processing costs and additional transportation costs and emissions to re-route the material to the appropriate facility.

For questions regarding proper recycling, please contact the Community Services Department at (909) 399-5431.

This press release was produced by the City of Claremont. The views expressed here are the author’s own.