Hey Residents, Stop Recycling Those Plastic Bags

A release from the Town of Reading on recycling efforts:

The Town’s trash and recycling contractor, JRM Hauling, has notified the Town that contamination levels in recycling has become a serious issue with residents increasingly putting unmarketable materials in their bins, particularly, plastic bags.

Residents are reminded that absolutely no plastics bags can go into recycling materials – they become tangled in the sorting equipment and are not accepted in any recycling sorting facilities. JRM, once again, has stepped up enforcement efforts by leaving recycling items at the curb with orange stickers to remind residents not to include plastic bags or other unacceptable items in bins.

Please see below for information on acceptable and unacceptable examples of recycling.

WHAT TO RECYCLE:

Accepted Paper & Cardboard: Newspapers/inserts, Magazines, Catalogs, Junk Mail, Envelopes, Paper Bags, Phone Books, Office Paper, File Folders, Shredded paper, Boxboard, Books. Pizza Boxes (clean) Cereal, cake and gift boxes Notebooks (no metal rings/clips) Milk-Juice Carton/Drink Boxes Cardboard Boxes. Please break down, flatten and fold boxes, cartons & other cardboard into no larger than 4’ x 4’.

Unacceptable paper includes: No napkins, tissues, toilet paper, or soiled paper wrappers.

Accepted Commingled Materials: Plastic, Butter/margarine tubs, Dessert/yogurt cups, Plastic condiment containers, Laundry bottles, Plastic take-out containers, Beverage bottles. #1-#7 Plastic Containers accepted (Excluding #6 Styrofoam).

Unacceptable Plastics: No plastic bags, plastic wrap, newspaper sleeves, or plastic film. No Styrofoam – bring to drop-off location at the Garage.

Glass: Glass bottles, jars, food containers and beverage containers

Unacceptable Glass: No window glass or mirrors, No light-bulbs, No ceramics.

Metal Cans and Foil: Clean aluminum cans and foil, Tin and steel cans, Lids from jars, Empty and non-hazardous aerosol cans.

Other Non-Compliant material includes: Plastic Bags, Food Waste, Wood, Textiles, Garden Hoses, Etc. These materials are trash and are not accepted in recycling. Please return plastic bags to supermarkets.

For more information about recycling in Reading please review the FAQs on our website by clicking here.