Dear Recycle Lady,
Must beer cans be rinsed out before recycling them?
To Rinse or Not to Rinse
Dear To Rinse or Not to Rinse,
Yes, beer cans as well as soda cans must be rinsed out before recycling. Any beer or soda left in a can is a contaminant that can contaminate an entire batch of recyclables. It is important to rinse all cans that are recyclable, including steel cans. Also, be sure to remove the entire lid from steel cans and place the lid inside the can. Metals, including aluminum and steel, are considered a nonrenewable natural resource as they are limited in supply and can’t be replaced as fast as they formerly have been. Plus, recycling metal cans lowers your carbon footprint, which is a good thing!
Dear Recycle Lady,
Why does the Recycle Center only take #1 and #2 bottles and jugs? How do you determine if a container is a bottle?
Is It a Bottle
Dear Is It a Bottle,
The Recycling Center accepts only bottles and jugs because currently, that is the only kind of #1 and #2 plastics for which there is a market. Unfortunately, only recyclables that have a buyer can be sold as we do not have the capacity to store recyclables for which there is no buyer. Glass is an excellent example of this. Although glass can be recycled over and over again, the Recycling Center is unable to collect glass as there is no local buyer for it. As to how to determine if a container is a bottle or a jug, here is a simple test. Look at the size of the top of the container and the bottom of the container. If the top is smaller than the bottom, the container is a bottle and can be recycled. If the top of the container is larger than the bottom of the container, the container is not a bottle and is not recyclable locally.
Dear Recycle Lady,
What is the difference between a landfill and a dump? I always thought they were the same thing.
Dumpster
Dear Dumpster,
A landfill and a dump are not the same thing. A landfill must meet strict state and federal requirements for safely isolating waste from the environment. It also must meet requirements for long-term management of the waste and restoration of the waste site. Any waste site that does not meet these state and federal criteria is a dump. In West Virginia, it is illegal to create an open dump, burn waste, or bury waste on your property. The Greenbrier County Landfill is overseen by the Greenbrier County Solid Waste Authority which meets all the criteria for landfill management. Locally, waste is picked up by Greenbrier Valley Solid Waste and taken to the Greenbrier County Landfill for proper disposal. Please note, the Greenbrier COUNTY Solid Waste Authority and the Greenbrier VALLEY Solid Waste are two distinct organizations. The Greenbrier COUNTY Solid Waste Authority is a branch of WV state government that oversees landfills and recycling. Greenbrier VALLEY Solid Waste is a privately owned garbage service and trash pickup business. Need a dumpster or trash pickup? Call Greenbrier VALLEY Solid Waste. Have questions about the landfill or recycling? Call the Greenbrier COUNTY Solid Waste Authority.
Good News: Iran has introduced a plan to help protect three endangered species: Persian leopards, Gorgan Mountain salamanders, and saker falcons.
Have questions about recycling, or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests to Recyclelady7@gmail.com. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.
