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Keep it Simple: Don’t Bag Recyclables In Las Cruces

While recycling around the nation is evolving into a clean, no-contamination effort… one key element has not changed:  never bag your recyclables. Recyclables should be clean, dry, and loose in the bin. Recyclables in bags may not get recycled.

Tarkeysha Burton, Recycling Coordinator for the South Central Solid Waste Authority (SCSWA), explains, “If we could get residents to stop bagging their recyclables, that would be a great step forward – recyclables must be loose in the bin, so we can see what’s there.”

When recyclables leave Las Cruces, they are transported to the Friedman Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) where they are processed at the rate of about 25 tons per hour. Through a complicated process all the paper, plastic, cardboard and aluminum is separated and baled. Trash and contaminated items are thrown out. No one is at the MRF opening plastic bags and emptying them into the recycling stream.

Because you always bag trash – which likely contains decomposing food – you may have been bagging your recyclables. However, nix that bag for recycling; which will also remind you to keep your recycling clean, dry and clear of contaminants. No food waste, no need to worry about dripping into the blue recycling bin and no need for odor control.

Plasic bags hinder the recycling process by:

  • Not allowing the recycling truck operators to see what’s being recycled,
  • Contaminating otherwise good recyclable materials,
  • Bags can wrap around sorting equipment at the MRF, damaging sorting machines and causing shutdowns, wasting time and becoming a huge expense.

Do you have other tips on how you sort your recycling without using bags? Let fellow residents know about the SCSWA upcoming Recycling Listening Sessions. The SCSWA will describe possible future recycling scenarios for Las Cruces, your questions will be answered, input from residents is highly encouraged, and surveys will be taken to help develop what recycling looks like in our community for the next 10 years.

TWO RECYCLING LISTENING SESSIONS -

Tuesday, October 9th – 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m – DACC East Mesa Campus Auditorium,

2800 Sonoma Ranch Blvd.

Thursday, October 11th  – 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. – Las Cruces City Hall,  700 N. Main Street

Green Connections is submitted by the South Central Solid Waste Authority (SCSWA) managing solid waste and recyclables for residents and businesses throughout Doña Ana County. Contact the SCSWA at (575) 528-3800 or visit www.SCSWA.net.