Friday, March 29, 2024

Wrapping up with paper recycling

Happy Holidays! Along with the holiday season comes a lot of packaging, cardboard, gift boxes, packing material and wrapping paper. 

 

RECYCLE the following items to keep your garbage bill low during the holidays:

Corrugated Cardboard - Always remember to remove any styrofoam, packing peanuts, air pillows (these are garbage) from cardboard boxes before flattening them to be recycled.

Boxboard (e.g. cereal, pasta, and cracker boxes)

Boxes that products are packaged in (e.g. gift, shoe, and electronic boxes)

Other boxes (e.g. soda, beer, toothpaste, facial tissue, and dryer sheet boxes)

Envelopes (white, brown, with or without window)

Mail, office, and school papers

Magazines and catalogs

Newspaper and inserts

Paper bags

Paper cores from paper towel, toilet paper, and wrapping paper

Phone books

Minnesota State Statute §115.951 bans placing a phone book in the garbage

Opt-out from receiving phone books at: Don't Trash The Phone Book or Yellow Pages Opt Out

Non-thermal receipt paper 

Shredded paper in closed paper bags

Sticky-Notes (Post-It® Notes)

 

 DO NOT RECYCLE:

If you cannot reuse or donate the following items, bag and place them in the garbage.  Items with an asterisk (*) are paper items that are not suitable for recycling, but may be placed in a backyard compost bin. 

Blueprint paper - There's too much dye for paper processors and is not desired for composting.  

Carbon Paper - Has a wax carbon coating on the outside of the paper that does not break down in the paper-pulping process.  These items also should be placed in the garbage.

Chinese Food Containers - Chinese food containers have a very thick layer of plastic on them that does not break down in the recycling or composting process, and should be placed in the garbage.

Egg Cartons* - Fibers are too short to recycle into new paper products.  Vendors at farmer's markets who sell eggs often take egg cartons back for reuse.  Paper egg cartons may be used in composting. 

Food-Soiled Paper* - Oils and grease do not break down in the paper pulping process and require emptying and cleaning of pulping equipment.   Examples include: napkins, paper plates, parchment or wax paper, paper towels, cardboard from pizza, etc.  Most of these items may be composted. Please note that lined-paper items (e.g. paper plates, to-go containers, fast food wrappers, etc.) must be labeled as certified compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute or by Cedar Grove Composting to be accepted for composting.

Gift wrap with glitter, foil, reflective areas or velvet - These are contaminants. Please throw them in the garbage.

Ice cream tubs - Heavily coated with plastic that makes them non-recyclable and non-compostable.

Microwaveable trays - Have additives and/or a plastic liner to strengthen paper and are not suitable for recycling or composting.

Kids crafts with a lot of paint, glue, glitter, etc. - Too much contamination for paper recycling process or composting process.

Paper with a plastic lining (commonly found in boxes that go in the freezer) - Not suitable for recycling or composting.  Do a 'tear test' to see if there's a plastic lining if you're unsure if a particular paper is recyclable.  The paper will either not tear easily if there's a plastic liner or the layer of separation between the paper and the plastic lining will be visible after tearing the paper.

Pizza Boxes* - Pizza box sections without oil and grease (ex. the lid) may be placed in the recycling cart. Soiled pizza boxes can be utilized in composting. 

Tissue Paper & Facial Tissues* - Fibers are too short to recycle into new paper products.  These products are compostable and may be placed in organics recycling carts.

TyvekTM envelopes - Are heavily coated with plastic film and are not recycable or compostable through Dodge County.  The manufacturer of Tyvek envelopes will accept them for recycling.  Call 1-800-44-TYVEK or visit Tyvek's website for more information.

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Dodge County Independent

Dodge County Independent
Dodge County ADvantage
301 S. Mantorville Ave.
Plaza 57 • Suite 200
Kasson, MN 55944

Dodge County Printing
301 S. Mantorville Ave.
Plaza 57 • Suite 200
Kasson, MN 55944

507-634-7503
 
Hours: 
Monday-Thursday 10a.m.-3p.m.