Dear Recycle Lady

Dear Recycle Lady,

How do I recycle telephone books? What about paperback books?

Reader

Dear Reader,

Yes, your telephone books can be recycled with magazines. However, be sure to remove any plastics, magnets, or other extras that have been added to the phone book. According to earth911.com, most phone books are made of post-consumer recycled materials and wood-by-products, so they are produced sustainably. Paperback books can also be recycled with magazines. But, before sending readable paperback books to the Recycling Center, consider donating them to a charity, nonprofit, or senior center. Locally the Americana Shop, located in Lewisburg on the corner of Court and Foster Streets, accepts both paperback and hardback books. Our local libraries, (Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, Ronceverte, and Alderson) accept donations of paperback and hardback books for their annual book sales. Profits from the book sales go back into the libraries.

Dear Recycle Lady,

Many of my plastic food containers are #5 plastic. What can I do with them since the Recycling Center doesn’t have a bin for them?

Trying to Help

Dear Trying to Help,

Unfortunately, #3 – #7 plastics are not recyclable locally as currently there is no market for them.  Fortunately, these containers can be reused in several ways. They can be used for freezing food and for storing items such as buttons, craft items, screws, nails, and bolts. They can also be used to send leftovers home with guests or to organize your office drawers or garage shelves. Better yet, try to purchase recyclable containers and foods sold in recyclable containers. Hopefully, more of these recyclable containers willsoon become more available.

Dear Recycle Lady,

What is the difference between microplastics and microbeads?

Need Clarification

Dear Need Clarification,

Microplastics are very small pieces of plastic that are less than 5mm (¼ inch) in size. These small pieces continue to break down into very tiny balls of plastic called microbeads, which are found in personal care items such as cosmetics, toothpaste, and face wash. The microbeads continue to break down into even smaller particles called nanoparticles, which are ten thousand times smaller than a millimeter (0.04 inches). All these tiny pieces of plastic continue to impact the environment for centuries. They are in the air, the soil, and the waterways. They have been found in food, beer, salt, sugar, and water bottled in plastic. Microplastics can be ingested by plankton, the very bottom of the marine food chain. Plankton is eaten by marine animals, which are eaten by birds and larger marine animals, which in turn are eaten by even larger animals such as orcas and polar bears. Since the microplastics are not biodegradable, they continue to travel up the food chain and are eaten by wildlife, animals, and humans. Microplastics have been found in human hair, tissues, and blood. Just last year, microplastics were found for the first time in human lungs.

Kudos to St. James Episcopal Church in Lewisburg for using the church’s china dishes, glasses, eating utensils, cloth napkins and cloth tablecloths for their annual church meeting and pot-luck luncheon. No plastic or disposal items were used. Definitely a celebration that was good for the environment!

Have questions about recycling, or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests to recyclelady@greenbrier-swa.com. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.