Can all junk mail be recycled? What about those glossy brochures? Or
the envelopes with plastic windows? Or all those cereal boxes?
LiveGreenTwinCities answers reader questions.
Dear LiveGreenTwinCities, I am confused about recycling. What exactly can I recycle in the paper bin? Can I recycle envelopes with plastic windows--the ones bills come in? What about paper products that appear glossy or plastic-coated--like cereal boxes or catalog covers or mailers? Can those go into the paper recycling bin? Chris Stills,Bloomington, MNOh, Chris. How we wish the answer were as simple as "recycle it!" But there is good news for you underneath all that rubbish and rubble: For residents in the metro area, the answer
is that simple. Almost.
According to Paul Kroening, recycling coordinator for Hennepin County, anything that comes in the mail can be recycled, as long as it's actual mail and not plastic. That includes plastic-window envelopes, glossy cards, catalogs with glossy covers, magazines, etc.
"If it's in your mailbox, it can go in curbside recycling," Kroening says. "The only thing that can't go in is anything that's not made of paper. That means if a magazine comes wrapped in plastic, the plastic has to be removed before the magazine goes into recycling." So even if envelopes have plastic windows they can still be recycled? "Yes, even those," Kroening says.
And what about all of those food boxes that pile up like private landfills in homes every week: Cereal boxes, cake boxes, even the trash-bag boxes? Kroening says all of those boxes, even the glossy ones, can go into paper recycling. The only ones that can't are food-product boxes for frozen or refrigerated foods.
"The reason is because of what's called wet-strength material," Kroening says. "For frozen-food boxes an additive has been added to make it stronger, and when you go to recycle it it doesn't break down."
Ok--so any paper products, including boxes--with the exception of frozen-food packages--can go into paper recycling in Hennepin and Ramsey counties.
But what about elsewhere? That's where it gets a bit more complicated. According to Jeff Schneider, the state recycling coordinator with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, each county has a set of its own rules. That's because city and counties have different haulers, and the different haulers have different recyclable markets that they access and use in different ways.
This means that, in some counties, haulers might limit the amount of glossy paper products because it might "contaminate" their load they sell to recyclers. In other words, it's market dependent.
"A mixed load can be difficult, depending on the sorting and the type of equipment used to recycle," Schneider says. "And it can contaminate a whole load and even mess up the equipment. But it's in the haulers' best interest to make sure residents know what is recyclable."
In most instances, he says, all types of paper products are recyclable. But he stresses that if you don't know, find out.
"You're paying your hauler for a service," he says. "You want to get what you're paying for. You have the right and even the obligation to ensure you're getting the best recycling service."
You can call your hauler directly, our you can call up your
county recycling coordinator to inquire about the process and/or demand increased service in your area.
And for questions about recycling all other products--from batteries to TVs to plastics---Twin Cities residents can check out this handy
Rethink Reycling guide.
Have a question you want LiveGreenTwinCities to answer? Email us at editor@livegreentwincities.com.