After the news broke that Metairie’s recycling facility will no longer take household recycling, many wondered if recycling would become nonexistent in Orleans and Jefferson Parish. The facility ultimately dedicated to reject households due to the large contamination rate.Ā Contamination is a huge factor in recycling, with a lot of what is recycled being thrown away.
Unfortunately, many are unaware of what can and can’t be recycled. Once the “contaminated” items leak or rub off on something that could possibly be recycled, it instantly results in those products being thrown away.
On that note, please rinse out all cans and plastic bottles before throwing in your recycling bin. Don’t recycle greasy or food-covered boxes. Styrofoam containers are not recyclable (do you really need that to-go box for food you’re not going to eat?). No, plastic bags can not be recycled, and this includes putting your recycling in them. Instead, donate these back to Rouse’s, Winn-Dixie, or wherever you choose to shop.
On May 17, Mayor Latoya Cantrell updated the city with a press release about household recycling. Luckily, the city is keeping recycling intact, with some modifications to what can and can’t be recycled.
The city will no longer accept wax board juice boxes or milk cartons, yogurt containers, condiment bottles, plastic cups and plates (think Red Solo Cups), and CD cases. These are included in the category Plastics #3-7, so if you are contemplating on what to throw in your bin, double check this list.
Items that will be accepted curbsideĀ during regularly scheduledĀ collectionsĀ include:
- Plastics #1 (soda/water bottles) and #2 (milk/juice/shampoo/detergent containers);
- Newspapers, junk mail, phone books, catalogs, office paper; corrugated cardboard, boxboard (cereal boxes/soft drink boxes);
- Small aluminum and steel cans.
Items accepted at the Recycling Drop-Off Center on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month (next event:Ā May 25, 2019):
- Plastics #1 (soda/water bottles) and #2 (milk/juice/shampoo/detergentĀ containers);
- Newspapers, junk mail, phone books, catalogs, office paper; corrugated cardboard, boxboard (cereal boxes/soft drink boxes);
- Small aluminum and steel cans;
- E-Waste (computers, laptops, telephones/telephone systems, keyboards, speakers, telephone/computer cables, x-boxes, PlayStation, Wii, MP3/DVD/CD players, UPS, Circuit boards, Portable Navigation/GPS devices, ink jet/toner cartridges, digital cameras/video recorders (DVRs), fax machines, small printers, monitors, processors, networking equipment, stereos, security systems);
- Batteries (AA, AAA, AAAA, C. D, 6 & 9 volt, Lithium); Light bulbs (Incandescent and fluorescent);
- Televisions (Limit 4), Glass (Limit 50lbs.), Tires (Limit: 5); Mardi Gras Beads, and
- Organics for Composting (fruit/vegetable scraps (peels, skins, pits, or seeds), tea bags, coffee grounds and paper filters, eggshells, nutshells, seed shells, plain bread, grains, and plan pasta (no toppings, meat bones, dairy or foods with oil).
If you have any questions, local New Orleans group Compost Now is a huge resource. Or, head to the City of New Orleans Sanitation website for more detailed information.