Where Do Your Recyclables Go?
Here’s your answer: FCC Environmental Services. The recycling facility recycles 96% of materials received!
But some materials are rejected before reaching the facility because they are bagged or too contaminated with materials unable to be recycled by the local system, such as film plastic, Styrofoam, and organic matter. Recycle — it does make a difference!
Interested in an Eastwood Neighborhood Association tour of their sorting facility? Send your name and email address to Amy Martin, former contributing editor of Garbage magazine.
Here are some tips derived from a tour of the North Texas FCC recycling facility.
Recyclables Prep
Bottles should be recycled with the cap loosely on. Otherwise, the cap occasionally gets mixed up with glass and other types of materials if goes through the process by itself.
Do not squish your plastics, including bulky plastic detergent or water containers. The 3-D sensor has a hard time realizing what it is when flattened.
Do not remove the labels from any plastic bottles or jars that you recycle.
No need to completely clean out the jars. Please scoop out globs of matter, but no need to wash it out.
If your pizza box has a dab or two of oil on it, it’s recyclable. Does not need to be perfectly clean.
Almost any type of plastic bag is problematic for recycling. It gets stuck in the machinery.
The sharp metal tops from cans are fine for recycling. They are picked up by a magnet, not handled by a person.
Put large metal objects such as an old cooking pan or the metal part of a rake in the recycling bin. Although not recycled at the Dallas facility, they are culled out and sent to a bulk metal recycler.
Collection
Do not put your recyclables in a plastic bag. Not even “compostable” bags or clear bags. Film plastic, such as bags, tends to clog recycling sorting machines.
If recyclables are bagged, they are routed into regular trash. This is where the rumor that recyclables are simply tossed comes from. It’s user error, not the recycling system. Do it right and recyclables get recycled.
Place recyclables loose in the rollaway blue bin. Period. Simply empty your bag, box, or bin into the blue bin.
Recyclables’ ‘Next Step
Sorted materials are compacted into bales. What happens next?
- Paper companies take the cardboard and paper — much of it becomes paperboard and other packaging.
- Plastic companies buy the plastic — much of it is turned into household products like crates and shelving and industrial materials such vehicle and appliance parts, shipping containers, and furniture (indoor and outdoor).
- Glass is made into paving, fiberglass, and other industrial materials.
- Aluminum is melted and reused; drink cans are usually recycled into new cans.
- Ferrous metals are melted and reused, often industrially, but sometimes become new cans.