Recycling

Recycling update – what to recycle and what to toss


DTE Appliance Recycling Program
     
The Appliance Recycling program offers Detroit Edison customers $50 for their older model refrigerators and freezers and hauls them away for free.

With single-stream recycling, materials don’t have to be separated within the recycling container. Newspapers and magazines can be tossed into the recycling cart without bundling. Cardboard up to 2 x 2 ft. is accepted.  Other recyclables include frozen food boxes (non-waxed) and pizza boxes (without any food residue or oil stains).

Among the materials that can’t be recycled are waxed paper, waxed cardboard (certain frozen food boxes), unmarked plastics, plastics marked as #3 or #6, and plastic bags. Styrofoam cups and containers aren’t collected by Priority Waste, even if they are marked as recyclable.

Be diligent when recycling, make sure containers such as food containers, glass jars and metal cans do not have any liquid in them. If any liquid (milk, juice, soup, even water) spills on the paper in the bin, the paper can’t be recycled.

While the city’s contractor, Priority Waste, doesn’t accept plastic bags, area stores often collect plastic bags for recycling. Consumers are encouraged to reuse plastic bags for small trash containers, future shopping, and packaging and storing items. To reduce the number of plastic bags you accumulate, use sturdy yet lightweight, foldable totes for groceries and produce shopping.