Dear Recycle Lady,
How about paper towels? Do they compost? Can they be recycled? If so, how clean must they be? Thank you.
Nature Enthusiast
Dear Nature Enthusiast,
Yes, most paper towels can be composted. They are rich in carbon and nitrogen and will add beneficial bacteria. Unused or wet, white, or brown paper towels that have been used for dusting, drying dishes or hands are good choices. Paper towels that have been used with strong chemicals or cleaning products or have been used to clean up greasy items such as butter or oil should not be added to the compost. They can cause breeding of bacteria that you do not want in your compost. For best and quickest results, tear wet paper towels into small pieces before adding them to the bin. This will help speed up decomposition.
Dear Recycle Lady,
Are scented perfume advertisements that come in the mail recyclable? What about address labels?
Junk Mail Detective
Dear Junk Mail Detective,
Yes, scented perfume advertisements can be recycled. They are considered “stinky” slicks and recycled with magazines. Address labels are a different story. They can’t be recycled because of the adhesive on the back. This adhesive is strong enough for the labels to get stuck to the equipment and cause problems. Fortunately, the adhesive on address labels is different from the adhesive on post-it notes. Post-it notes are 100% recyclable. Pastel colored Post-its go with office paper. Bright Post-its go with magazines.
Dear Recycle Lady,
I’m confused. A few months ago, in one of your columns, you said that cereal boxes, TP rolls, Kleenex boxes, etc. may LOOK like cardboard, but were made of paperboard and should be recycled with junk mail and office paper. Only if the 3-layer construction of cardboard were clearly visible should material be recycled as cardboard. But in a much more recent column you said that if cereal boxes and other containers look like cardboard on the inside, they should be bundled with cardboard. Please help.
Dispel My Confusion
Dear Dispel My Confusion,
I had no idea how confused recyclers were about what is cardboard! Hopefully, this can dispel your confusion and everyone else’s. From now on, without exception, ALL boxes go into the cardboard bin. This includes big boxes, small boxes, Mac & Cheese boxes, Kleenex boxes, toilet paper and paper towel rolls, cereal boxes, packing boxes, and any other configuration of boxes.
Don’t forget the Pesticide Collection event on Saturday, May 15, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Greenbrier Recycling Center on Monroe Avenue in Ronceverte. Gather up all your pesticides, bring them for proper disposal and help protect birds, bees, butterflies, and insects by eliminating toxic chemicals.
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.
