Busted: Debunking Myths about Recycling in the City of Philadelphia

Busted: Debunking Recycling Myths in the City

This month's myth:
Bottle caps cannot be recycled.

REALITY:This is true AND false.

Metal bottle caps and lids are recyclable. So feel free to throw your beer bottle caps, coffee can lids and other metal tops right into your recycling bin.

However, plastic caps are not currently recyclable. If they go to the recycling facility, they end up in the glass and are separated prior sending the glass on for processing. Caps are polypropylene and can technically be recycled, however, there are containment and transportation issues that make them very challenging. For instance, caps cannot be baled, so there is not easy way to contain them. Without a mean for containing caps, in say a bale, the result is low density which makes transporting them to an end market prohibitive.

Previous Months' Myths

MYTH:
The City throws out recycling that has food waste on it.

REALITY:This is a slightly more complicated myth with some gray area.

If a container has a little bit of food residue on it, it will still get recycled. It is best to rinse out and clean containers before putting them in the recycling so the system at Blue Mountain Recycling (where the city takes all of its recycling) can accurately sort them and can maintain the quality of the materials they produce by minimizing the residue.

Here is what a representative from Blue Mountain told us:

"Do people need to waste gallons and gallons of water in order to thoroughly clean each container? No, but at the same time we don't want to get plastic tubs full of peanut butter or ketchup because either they won't sort correctly in our system and will end up with the residue or they'll contaminate the outbound commodity."

So, you should make an effort to rinse out your containers and get as much of the food residues off as possible, but if you couldn't get every last bit of peanut butter off the jar or if you happen to be somewhere without access to a sink, you can still recycle it.

MYTH:
Window envelopes cannot be recycled.

FALSE! Blue Mountain Recycling, Philadelphia’s materials recovery facility, can recycle window envelopes.

Many people are often confused when it comes to recycling window envelopes with a plastic covering, a major source of paper waste. Fortunately these envelopes are completely recyclable because the plastic window covering is filtered out while the paper is getting turned back into pulp. To see how Blue Mountain sorts other materials visit their website or watch this video.

MYTH:
#5 plastics can’t be recycled in Philadelphia

FALSE! Even though they are not collected by the City, #5 plastics can still be recycled at collections or through mail-in programs.

While the Blue Mountain Recycling facility that accepts Philadelphia's recyclables is not yet able to process plastics #3-7, that doesn't mean you have to throw them away!

For example, The Weavers Way Coop Environment Committee has decided to continue collect #5 plastics through the Gimme 5 program.

The Committee needs volunteers to keep this project going (co-op members can get work credit for helping). If you're willing and able to help at one of the collections, please write to weaverswayrecycling@yahoo.com.

Before bringing your #5 plastics to the collection, be sure that they meet the requirements listed below for Gimme 5:
1) All items must be CLEAN and DRY. If they contained food or any oily or dirty product, make sure they have been washed, not just rinsed. Items stacked when wet tend to stay wet, so allow washed items to dry fully before stacking or packing.
2) The #5 stamp needs to be visible on each item. Lids are separate items. Don’t assume lids are the same number plastic as the container; sometimes they are but usually they are not. Check to make sure there are no other materials (labels, paper, other number plastics, metal) on the items you bring in.
3) Brita filters are also welcome. Let them air dry for several days to make sure they are completely dry.)

MYTH:
Recycling won't save businesses money.

FALSE! A well-planned and executed recycling programs saves money on disposal fees.

Philadelphia was the first city in country to enact mandatory curbside recycling. Streets and Walkways Education and Enforcement Program (SWEEP) officers are charged with enforcing trash and recycling laws and are authorized to write $25 tickets to residents caught not recycling.

Even though the prices for recycled material have fallen dramatically, recycling programs cost considerably less than sending waste to the landfill or incinerator, which costs on average $65-$75/ton. With disposal costs so high, this is an ideal time for businesses to assess the amount of waste they create. Businesses can easily reduce waste through purchasing products with less or reusable packaging and using paperless technology.

According to the GrassRoots Recycling Network, large companies such as Xerox, Hewlett-Packard and Pillsbury have all achieve close to 95% recycling rates — with an eventual goal of zero waste. Philadelphia-based businesses, Northern Liberties Press and Yards Brewing Company have also made a commitment to recycling and are seeing the benefits in lower disposal costs.

For more information on starting a commercial recycling program, please visit the Greater Philadelphia Commercial Recycling Council's website.

MYTH:
There is no penalty for not recycling in Philadelphia.

FALSE! Recycling in Philadelphia is the law and fines will be issued to those who do not recycle.

Recently the Nutter Administration has ramped up recycling enforcement and more SWEEP officers have been hired. They will be focusing their efforts especially on apartment complexes and commercial establishments that are not providing recycling for their tenants. To get your commercial apartment building, office building or business up to speed with recycling laws, read the City of Philadelphia’s Guide to Turning Philadelphia’s Recycling Regulations Into an Opportunity or visit the Greater Philadelphia Commercial Recycling Council website.

At home, make sure you set out your recycling curbside at the appropriate time to avoid getting a ticket. Most neighborhoods have daytime collection and should set out recyclables between 7 p.m. the night before collection day and 7 a.m. the day of collection. If you have evening collection, set out recyclables between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on your collection day.

If you have received a fine or have a question please contact the Philadelphia Streets Department at 215-686-5560.

Myth:
Your recycling materials must be in a city-issued blue bin to be collected.

FALSE! Your recyclables can be placed at the curb in ANY hard-sided container that is clearly marked "RECYCLING."

While the blue recycling bins are very popular, you don't need one to recycle! Any container that is clearly marked "recycling" will be treated the same as a blue bin and its contents will be recycled. According to the City of Philadelphia's Streets Department, "Use any sturdy plastic or metal container that holds 20 gallons or less and just mark the word 'RECYCLING' on its side.

Myth:
A recycling program is a large expense for the City of Philadelphia

FALSE! Recycling SAVES the City of Philadelphia money.

Recycling is not only good for the environment, it's good for the economy! The City of Philadelphia currently pays $62 for every ton of garbage they landfill. On the contrary, the city earns approximately $35 for every ton they recycle. Last year, recycling earned Philadelphia $1.7 milion and saved it $3.2 million in recycling costs. The City Controller actually reported that if Philadelphia's recycling rate reached an achievable 35%, the City would save $17 million. Talk about trash to cash!

Myth:
If a trash truck picks up my recycling, it will still get sorted and go to a recycling facility.

FALSE! If a trash truck picks up your recyclables, they will go to a landfill.

If a trash truck picks up your recyclables, you need to report this problem to the Streets Department immediately. This is a problem right now in Philadelphia that needs to be addressed by the Streets Department. You can contact them at 215-685-RECYCLE(7329) or csstreets@phila.gov. Vice versa, recycling trucks are not allowed to be collecting garbage; this must also be reported to the Streets Department.