Your Recycling Questions Answered
Recycling - the act of turning waste into reusable material- is an ever evolving industry that can be quite confusing. What is (and is not) recyclable changes based on where you live and what materials have an end-market. Here are some answers to your most frequently asked questions about recycling here in Durham:
Can I recycle phone books?
Yes. You can recycle your old (or new, but unwanted) phone books in the recycling bin. Want to opt-out of receiving phone books at altogether? Visit: https://www.yellowpagesoptout.com/
Can I recycle pizza boxes? What if they have some residual grease?
Yes. Pizza boxes are recyclable, even with some grease, but remove all trash and as much food residue as possible.
What should I do with plastic bags?
Plastic bags are not accepted in our single-steam recycling bins. They actually will shut down the machines at the Material Recovery Facility (MRF). You can recycle plastic bags and other film plastics (such as case wrap, produce bags, food storage bags, newspaper bags, and bubble wrap) at most local grocery stores. To find the nearest drop off location for film plastics, visit: http://bit.ly/1plMotU
Which number plastics can be recycled?
You can recycle all plastics in your single-stream recycling bin except #6 (polystyrene) which is Styrofoam and plastic bags and other film plastics (see above question about recycling plastic bags).
Have more burning recycling questions? Check out our blog post on the subject and learn how you can join upcoming tours to the recycling plant in Raleigh.
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