Dear Recycle Lady,
I am a senior citizen and each year I receive a large booklet from Medicare. The booklet is nearly a half inch thick. Do I recycle it with office paper or magazines?
Concerned Recycler
Dear Concerned Recycler,
Thanks for considering where it’s best to recycle an item. The Medicare handbook can best be recycled with magazines. Anytime there is a question as to whether an item should be recycled with office paper or with magazines, putting it in with magazines is the best choice. It’s good to recycle all paper that can be recycled as it saves both energy and resources. Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water and 463 gallons of oil, according to EPA. Have you considered receiving the annual Medicare Handbook by email in digital format? Doing so would save on the costs of printing, mailing, and recycling the booklet, as well as all the energy costs involved. Think how effective that would be if the majority of Medicare recipients did this – individual actions add up!
Dear Recycle Lady,
I recently replaced my lawn mower battery. Will my old lawn mower battery recycle?
Lawn Caretaker
Dear Lawn Caretaker,
The Recycling Center not only accepts lawn mower batteries, but it will pay you for them. Car batteries are also accepted as are all rechargeable batteries, regardless of whether or not they will charge. I am sorry to say alkaline batteries of any kind are not accepted. However, according to battery manufacturers it is now safe to put them in the landfill. When you take your lawn battery to the Recycle Center, go in the door for recycling aluminum cans, push the button and staff member will come help you.
Dear Recycle Lady,
I have been recycling all my office paper, magazines and newspapers. Are there any types of paper that cannot be recycled?
Paper Recycler
Dear Paper Recycler,
Yes, there are several types of paper that can’t be recycled. Freezer paper and wax paper are neither recyclable nor compostable as they are coated with either vegetable wax or petroleum-based paraffin. Used parchment paper isn’t recyclable either as it may be stained with food or cooking oils. The short fibers that make up tissue paper prevent it from being recyclable. However, it is compostable and breaks down quickly in your compost bin.
Napkins and paper towels are not recyclable either as they are a very low grade of paper. They are both made from paper that may have been recycled five to seven times, thus the fibers are very small and short. However, both napkins and paper towels can be composted and are considered brown material, as long as they haven’t been used to wipe up oil, butter, milk or lard. Gift wrapping paper, paper coated with plastic, and sticky paper are not recyclable, and neither are thermal receipts. Thermal receipts contain chemicals that are harmful to the environment and to humans, thus they are neither recyclable nor compostable. Paper cups and plates are not recyclable as they may have food or grease on them, both of which are contaminates.
Any kind of paper, whether white, colored, magazine, newspaper, or cardboard, can’t be recycled if it is not clean and dry. Grease and food must never be on paper products to be recycled as grease and food will not mix with the water needed to break down the paper into fibers. If greasy or food-laden paper is put in with clean paper, the entire batch is contaminated and cannot be recycled. Thus, it all goes to the landfill.
