The Shadow
Dear Recycle Lady,
Does the recycle symbol on an item indicate that it is recyclable?
Hopeful
Dear Hopeful,
According to www.ethicalshift.com/, the recycle symbol was originally used to represent an item’s capability of being recycled, not that it would be recycled at all recycling facilities. While the item may be recyclable somewhere, it may not be recyclable at your particular location. There are several reasons for this, but the biggest reason is that items accepted for recycling vary not only from state to state and city to city but also from county to county. For example, the Greenbrier Recycling Center does not accept #1 plastic clam shells, whereas larger cities in the state have the capacity to do so. Recyclers should always check with the local recycling center before putting a questionable item in a bin. If in doubt about it being recyclable, throw it out. Putting items in a recycle bin that are not recyclable are contaminants and can spoil an entire bale of good recyclables.
The original recycle symbol was created in 1970 by Gary Anderson, a university student in North Carolina as an entry in a competition sponsored by the first Earth Day. The symbol is a triangle of chasing arrows representing reduce, reuse and recycle, as well as the circularity of reducing waste by keeping materials in the loop. This Mobius strip design was later used by the plastic industry to indicate the plastic resin code (1 – 7) used to make the product. There are also recycling symbols with numeric codes for cardboard(20), paper(22), steel(40), aluminum(41), and organic symbols, such as wood(50) and cotton(60). For more information on these seldom seen symbols, see www.rts.com/blog/recycling-symbols/.
Dear Recycle Lady,
I am doing some early spring cleaning and have sorted through hundreds of mechanical pencils, ink pens, felt-tip pens, and magic markers. Some of them are usable, but some of them are not. It’s simply amazing how many one family can accumulate over the years. Are the unusable pens recyclable?
Too Many Pens
Dear Too Many Pens,
Ink pens, markers and mechanical pencils are nearly impossible to recycle because they are all made up of several different types of plastic, metal and ink. The Recycling Center does not have the equipment to take these items apart and recycle each of the parts. Paper Mate and Sharpie markers can be recycled through a TerraCycle program (TerraCycle.com). For additional information on recycling pens and markers, check out the website, https://recyclenation.com/2015/04/how-to-recycle-markers/.
We are again looking for an organization to take on the Trex plastic film project. The Boy Scouts, two Girl Scout groups and St. James Episcopal Church have all completed this project. After collecting 1,000 pounds of plastic film, the organization receives a wonderful Trex bench. This project can be completed in two or three months as the community is very supportive and puts plastic film in the collection boxes. It is easy to do, and sorters have the satisfaction of keeping 1,000 pounds of plastic out of the landfill. Plus, groups develop a great camaraderie around a common goal while having a good time. Please text me at 304-667-1434 if you know of an organization that may be interested or if you have questions.
Good News: California and Oregon have banned the use of most polystyrene foam food containers. Polystyrene is a lightweight durable thermoplastic that is used for insulation and packaging, and over time it breaks down into small pieces of plastic that take hundreds of years to decompose.
Have questions about recycling or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests to Recyclelady7@gmail.com. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.
