Recycling: Everything You Always Wanted to Know

Recycling in Maplewood has been , so Patch decided it was time for a recycling refresher.

First: as of May 7, 2012, all residential curbside recycling is collected on every other Monday for the entire town. Collection dates for 2012 are listed below.

Second: Maplewood has single-stream recycling, which means that EVERYTHING can go in one container. There is no sorting necessary.

Third: almost every non-food item -- with a few exceptions -- is recyclable. Here is a partial list; a complete list is attached to this article as a PDF.

Recyclable:

• Plastics labeled #1-7
• Metal and aluminum cans and containers
• Glass bottles and jars (all colors)
• Pizza boxes, take-out containers, cereal boxes
• Cardboard
• Newspaper, magazines, catalogs, mail 

Not recyclable:

• Plastic bags (can get caught in the machinery at the recycling plant; many supermarkets will take them)
• Paper towels and tissues
• Bottle caps (can become a dangerous projectile at the plant)
• Plate glass or mirrors
• Light bulbs (exception: CFLs, compact fluorescent lamps, can be brought to the recycling center)
• Ceramics
• Styrofoam

General Recycling Tips

• Rinse out all food containers to remove residue. This is mainly so that your recycling doesn't attract rodents. ("It doesn't have to be scrubbed spotless," said Dept. of Public Works Director Eric Burbank. "A little grease is fine.")
• Each curbside container cannot weigh more than 35 pounds.
• Rechargeable batteries can be brought to recycling center; regular batteries can be thrown in the garbage.
• Long, fluorescent light tubes can be collected on the County's Hazardous Waste Collection Days (cannot be brought to recyling center).

The remaining dates for curbside recycling in 2012 are: August 27, September 10 and 24, October 8 and 22, November 5 and 19, December 3, 17, and 31. 

Maplewood residents can drop off recycling at the Maplewood Recycling Center, 359 Boyden Avenue, 973-762-1175. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m -3 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. -12 p.m. In addition to all the regular recyclable items, residents can also bring the following to the center: used motor oil and cooking oil; scrap metal; old clothes; car batteries and CFL's; and car tires (with purchase of a coupon from Town Hall.)

For information on electronics recycling, check the township website recycling page.

Residents with recycling questions can call the DPW at 973-762-1175 or visit the Maplewood is Green recycling info page.

Finally, both Waste Management and Waste Industries offer Pay as You Throw plans. So once you reduce your garbage by upping your recycling, you can pay less for your trash pick up.