Why can't plastic sheeting or small plastic items be picked up for recycling?

The bottom line is that recycling facilities are designed with larger items in mind, such as bottles and jugs, cans, paper, and cardboard. Plastic bags get tangled in the machinery and small items fall through the gaps between belts and gears at various stages of sorting. Small items can also simply blow away.

Show All Answers

1. What can I put in my curbside recycling can?
2. What paper and cardboard items can I recycle in my curbside can?
3. What types of plastic can a recycle in my curbside can?
4. When recycling plastic bottles, should I keep the lid on or off?
5. When recycling plastics, why not use the recycling numbers 1 through 7?
6. Why can't plastic sheeting or small plastic items be picked up for recycling?
7. Where can I take my plastic sheeting and grocery store bags to be recycled?
8. Can plastic pill bottles be recycled?
9. Where can I drop off glass recycling?
10. What is the pick up day for my recycling?
11. Which holidays will delay collection of my recycle can?
12. Should I rinse my recyclables?
13. Do I need to take labels off my cans?
14. Are napkins and paper towels recyclable?
15. Can I recycle my pizza box?
16. Can I recycle my plastic grocery bags?
17. Where can I take my TV and electronics (E-waste)?
18. Where do I take household hazardous waste?
19. Where I can recycle old tires?
20. Where can I drop off bulk recycling?
21. Where can I recycle fluorescent light bulbs?
22. Where can I recycle my mattress?
23. How can I recycle my refrigerator?
24. Why doesn't the City recycle green waste?
25. What is this tag (Nice Job, Oops, and Uh-Oh) on my recycling can?
26. Are fast food drink cups recyclable?
27. Why does what can be recycled change?