Politics & Government
Ridgefield Recycling Center to Carve Glass Out of Single Stream
China, the major driver of the recyclables market, has placed restrictions on the permissible level of contamination in imported recyclables
RIDGEFIELD, CT — Glass recycling in Ridgefield will be impacted by new restrictions in China.
At the end of 2017, China, the major driver of the recyclables market, announced a new policy called the National Sword, which placed restrictions on the permissible level of contamination in imported recyclables. The purpose of the policy is to spark the development of a domestic recycling market within China. In fact, the level of permissible contamination was set so low that it operates, in essence, as a ban on the importing of recyclables. The policy is being phased in through 2020.
The immediate impact locally will be on the people who use the Ridgefield Recycling Center on South Street, the Ridgefield Press is reporting. Glass bottles and jars will no longer be accepted as part of the "single stream" of recycled products, but must be separated first.
The restrictions will not impact homeowners whose recyclables are picked up curbside by private carriers -- yet. China's new regulations will certainly apply to all companies from whom it buys recyclables, but these waste removal companies have a choice between passing the inconvenience along to their customer or separating the glass downstream from the curbside pickup themselves.
