Switched from recycling everything to focusing on reusing jars and containers about 8 months ago

I used to spend forever sorting every piece of plastic and cardboard into the right bin. Then our local recycling center in Springfield changed what they accept and stopped taking most plastics. Now I just wash out pasta sauce jars and pickle jars and use them for storing leftovers, screws, and dry goods. Cut my recycling pile down by maybe 60%. Anyone else find their local recycling rules changing and had to adjust how they handle waste?

2 comments

2 Comments

matthewperry18d ago

Oh man, tell me about it. Our center in Oakdale pulled the same stunt, stopped taking any plastics except #1 and #2, and even those have to be perfectly clean or they toss them. I learned the hard way after I spent a whole Sunday washing yogurt cups only to see the guy literally dump my whole bin into the trash because one had a little crust on it. So now I do exactly what you do, I reuse the big pickle jars for my dry beans and rice, and the smaller jelly jars hold my random nuts and bolts. It's honestly way less hassle than trying to make the system work the way it used to.

susanh4618d ago

I get where you're coming from, Matthew, but I see it a little differently. I don't think the recycling centers are just being lazy or making things up. The market for recycled plastics really did collapse, especially after China stopped taking our waste. So if they only take #1 and #2 and demand they be spotless, it's probably because that's all they can actually sell now. I'd rather they be honest about what they can handle than pretend they're recycling stuff that ends up in a landfill anyway. It's frustrating, sure, but I think the blame belongs more on the companies that keep making all this plastic packaging in the first place.