Recycling for Dummies

Maplewood is one green town. People have not only embraced recycling through the Township: Local businesses offer means to recycle even more products like plastic bags and pizza boxes. Composting is all the rage. And we even have designated parking spaces for electric vehicles at the train station.

But how much do you really know about recycling in Maplewood?

An informal survey of bins on the sidewalk tells Patch that many people still don't know 0r accept that we've gone to single stream recycling. That means you can throw your paper in with your cardboard in with you glass and plastics. We know it excites some people to separate their green and brown glass from their clear glass, but it's not necessary!

Obsessive-compulsive sorting urges aside, the biggest recycling misperception in town concerns plastics. Yes, you can recycle #1 through #7 plastics BUT only if they are narrow-necked bottles. That means no Smart Balance butter tubs, people, nor that lovely container that your won ton soup came in. Nah-ah. You can't recycle that. At least not with the Township of Maplewood. The good news it that many preschools use those tubs (and baby food plastic containers) for mixing paint and glue and other arts and crafts projects, so you might want to give Barb Illingworth or Betsy Geiger a call.

And even though those Board of Education lawn signs may be #2  or #5 plastic, you cannot recycle them through the Maplewood Township recycling program—we checked with DPW Director Eric Burbank. Representatives of each Board of Ed campaign have told us that they are collecting the lawn signs and will find a way to re-use or recycle the materials.

If all of this is still confusing, please see the attached fliers for more information or call DPW at 973-762-1175 for visit maplewoodisgreen.org.

Now that we've cleared up some recycling questions and misperceptions, please remember that Saturday, April 24, is a big day for the environment in Maplewood with three enviro-friendly events. And thanks to Sheila Baker Gujral for putting this all together and supplying us with this information.

Saturday, April 24, 10 a.m.—Composting Demonstration. Virginia Lamb Falconer will lead a composting workshop at the Recycling Center, 359 Boyden Avenue. Learn how to turn your household waste into valuable fertilizer while reducing your trash. For more information, contact Virginia Lamb Falconer. 

Saturday, April 24, 8 a.m.-noon—Shred-a-thon Event. Clear out your old financial and personal records. Bring your old papers and watch them get shredded on the spot. At the Recycling Center, 359 Boyden Avenue. For more information, contact Diane Thomson.

Saturday April 24, 10 a.m.-12 noon—Rahway River Cleanup. Come help clean up Rahway River. Meet at Memorial Park off Dunnell Road near the walking bridge to get an assignment to help clean up the Rahway River.