Why is everyone required to sort and separate their garbage and recycle?
In the late 1970's the State of Minnesota moved away from allowing land filling of all garbage due to a high incidence of pollution, rapidly diminishing disposal capacity and environmental and public resistance to the creation of new landfills. Recycling and reuse of certain materials became a priority of the State of Minnesota and, by law, the state required counties and local municipalities to adopt ordinances and establish procedures to require that waste generated in their jurisdictions be sorted and recyclable materials separated out and processed for re-manufacture, requiring that recycling programs be provided to all residents, facilities and businesses. The Federal Government Environmental Protection Agency joins in this effort and supports recycling and reuse programs.
Why do I have to pay for recycling?
The "RS" fee that is charged on all residential properties on their utility bills pays for the curbside recycling collection programs, the yard waste drop-off site, Special Materials Drop-off days, every other year curbside bulky waste collections, public education, outreach programs, and other related waste management programs.
Recycling is the reuse of resources. It is an alternative management to disposal. It is not a money maker. There is a cost to operate the systems. The cost to collect and separate materials, process, sort and ship the clean reprocess able commodities to a re-manufacture facility carries an expense. Because we all live and operate in the community, we all must accept some responsibility for the proper management of the wastes generated in a community and all are responsible and must share in the responsibility for the management systems and the cost to maintain the systems.
Can I recycle all plastics?
No. There are many different chemical compositions of plastic. Most types of plastic cannot be mixed together in the re-manufacture process, and because there is no current technology that can mechanically separate plastics by composition the different types cannot be mixed. The most common type of plastic container found in a household is a plastic bottle with a narrow neck which is blow-molded. Blow molded bottles have similar composition and melt temperature, and can be ground and mixed for reprocessing. All other plastic containers (tub and pail), plastic bags, formed plastic Styrofoam packaging and polystyrene deli food containers cannot be mixed together due to their different chemical compositions.
Plastic bags can be recycled at all Cub Foods, Byerly's, and Wal-Marts.
What are some items that cannot be recycled, and why not?
Motor oil and hazardous chemical bottles - Sediments and residue remain inside these containers that presents risk to handlers and contamination to other plastic bottles, collection trucks and processing facilities.
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8300 Noble Ave N
Brooklyn Park, MN 55443
Phone: 763-493-8007
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