Chinese Export Market Is Changing The Way Millburn Recycles

MILLBURN, NJ — Recycling in Millburn has taken a twist, with the township’s vendor recently announcing that it will no longer accept plastic bags in its curbside recycling collection efforts. And curiously, the change may have roots in the Chinese export market, town officials said.

On Monday, Millburn municipal officials issued an advisory that Giordano Co., the township’s solid waste and recycling hauler, will no longer accept plastic bags in curbside recycling collections.

According to Millburn officials:

“All recyclables in plastic bags will be left at the curb. If a collection is left curbside it is the owner’s responsibility to move items into a container specifically labeled for recycling.”

The new directive comes in response to changes in the recycling market, town officials said.

“The United States, until recently, sent roughly 30% of its recycling exports to the Chinese market,” Millburn officials wrote. “Due to rising contamination rates, China instituted a contamination rate of 0.5% for accepted materials. In the short term this has led to higher costs for processing recyclables, leading to a renewed effort towards a cleaner recycling stream for which a market can be found.”

“The Township of Millburn, like many other municipalities, is adapting to the changing landscape of the worldwide recycling market,” Business Administrator Alexander McDonald stated.

But what’s the problem with plastic bags and recycling in the first place? According to Millburn officials:

“Although single-use plastic bags may depict a recycling symbol, they are not recyclable in a single-stream facility. They jam the equipment, and many facilities spend 1 to 2 hours per day removing plastic bags from the machinery. Plastic bags are one of the largest sources of contamination at recycling facilities. Waste management, where the township’s recyclables are processed, diverts the bags and their contents to a landfill and can assess a $175 per ton fee on loads containing excess contamination. Plastic bags can either be recycled at a local supermarket or disposed of in the trash.”

Information regarding Millburn’s recycling practices can be found in a DPW pamphlet at the Public Works and Recycling pages of the municipal website. For questions and concerns go to http://www.twp.millburn.nj.us/Recycling

“A communal effort is required to eliminate contamination from our recycling stream and recycle materials at the curb that can only processed in single-stream facilities,” Millburn officials stated. “Municipalities across the country are altering their recycling programs to meet the demands of the changing market, and more changes may be forthcoming.”

• See related article: This New Jersey Playground Is Made From Recycled Toothbrushes

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