Dear Recycle Lady,
Are the boxes that contain frozen meals, frozen pizzas, and frozen vegetables recyclable, even if they are slick to the touch? Thank you.
Trying to do better
Dear Trying to do better,
Good question. The boxes that contain frozen food can be recycled if they are clean, dry, and made of single-material packaging. Whether they are slick or not, these boxes are recycled with cardboard. Some frozen food boxes have plastic windows but that does not prevent them from being recycled and it does not need to be removed. However, there are two types of frozen food boxes that are not recyclable. 1) Those with a waxy coating: Run your fingernail down the surface of the box and there will be wax under the fingernail and 2) Those that have a thin layer of plastic. These boxes are not recyclable as they will not break apart during the recycling process. Recycled frozen food boxes are made into new paper products, such as paper towels and tissues.
Dear Recycle Lady,
I have a lot of paperback books that I don’t know what to do with. Any suggestions?
Avid Reader
Dear Avid Reader,
Yes, paperback books can definitely be recycled. Doing so reduces clutter, saves landfill space, and conserves trees, oil, energy, and water. Paperback books are recycled with magazines/slicks, regardless of how thick they are. However, if the paperback book is old, or has wet pages, it is not recyclable as the material in the cell walls of wood has oxidized. Or, if its pages have turned yellow, they are not recyclable as the yellow color contaminates the whiter, newer paper, thus reducing the value of the recycled paper. Have you considered passing the books on to other readers? Reduce and Reuse are both part of the Recycle symbol! Used books can be placed in “little free libraries” in the area that accept books, making them available to other readers in exchange. Books can also be donated to schools, libraries, prisons, and veteran’s hospitals. Any thrift store or location that sells used items, such as Goodwill, accepts used or new paperback books. All the libraries in Greenbrier County: Alderson, Lewisburg, Rainelle, Ronceverte, and Rupert have annual used book sales and accept new or used books.Be sure to check as with them as to times and dates.
Dear Recycle Lady,
I think you previously mentioned in your column that aerosol cans could be recycled with steel cans, but I wasn’t sure if I remembered correctly. Do all aerosol cans recycle with steel cans?
Recycler
Dear Recycler,
No, all aerosol cans are not recycled with steel cans. Some are recycled with steel cans, but others are recycled with aluminum cans. Thus, before recycling an aerosol can, you must check to see if it is made of steel or aluminum. Do this by using a magnet. If the magnet sticks to the can, it recycles with steel cans. If the magnet does not stick to the can, it recycles with aluminum cans. Also, before recycling an aerosol can, be sure to remove the plastic cap, which is not recyclable, and push the aerosol button until the contents of the can are no longer under pressure. Now the can is ready to be recycled!
Great news: The Boy Scout/Montwell plastic film recycling project is going more than great. In less than a month they have collected 472 pounds of plastic film! Kudos to everyone who is helping with this project. One word of caution about translucent plastic film. If you are not sure it is the right kind plastic, test it by putting the film over your thumbnail, holding it with your index finger on the same hand, then pull back with your other hand. If the film stretches, it goes in the recycle box. If you must pull really hard to make it look like it stretches, put it in the trash. When in doubt, throw it out. This holds for all kinds of plastic.
Have questions about recycling, or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests to grecycle450@gmail.com. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.
