Dear Recycle Lady

Dear Recycle Lady,

Can Ziplock plastic bags be recycled?

Bagger

Dear Bagger,

Yes. Ziplock plastic bags can be recycled at Kroger or Wal-Mart, but not at the Recycling Center.

There are several other similar type bags with different brand names that also can be recycled. As with all recyclables, be sure the bag is clean and dry. Also, be sure any food particles or dirt have been removed. Remove any paper is glued or stuck on the plastic. Ziplock bags are made of low-density polyethylene film (LDPE) and are made from fossil fuels. It takes 500-1,000 years for these bags to decompose. According to a study by the University of Newcastle in Australia, plastic bags decompose into micro plastics that are 5 mm in size and hardly noticeable. The study further indicates that humans consume the equivalent of a credit card of micro plastics per week. All though these bags are very handy and have many uses, you might want to consider using eco-friendly alternatives to these bags. Bees Wraps, Stasher reusable silicone bags, Lunch skin paper sandwich bags, and ECOFLESH silicone reusable bags are all available. Also available are reusable, and eco-friendly cloth bags, and glass or steel containers.

Dear Recycle Lady,

Lately, I have received letters from several charitable organizations that included a return envelope that is bright red or orange on the outside, but white on the inside. I know that red and orange paper is recycled with magazines, but what about these envelopes with the white lining? Where do they recycle?

Puzzled About the Color

Dear Puzzled About the Color,

Good question. To determine whether these envelopes recycle with magazines or with office paper you need to make a tear in the envelope. If the inside of the tear is white, indicating that the fibers are white, the envelope recycles with office paper. If the inside of the tear is red or orange, the envelope recycles with magazines.  

Dear Recycle Lady,

My hair dryer just quit working. Can it be recycled?

Curious

Dear Curious,

Yes, several parts of your hair dryer are recyclable. Like any small appliance with a cord, the cord can be cut off and the copper in the cord is recycled. As much as 50% of the parts inside the hair dryer are metal and can be recycled with metal. Metal is reusable and, when melted down, can be made into other metal products. When you bring the dryer to the Recycling Center enter the door marked aluminum cans and press the button. Someone will come to assist you.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Recycling Table at the Recycling Center last Friday. We had some lively discussions, excellent questions, and new ideas for recycling. Everyone who came received a TreeSmart pencil made from newspapers. Do hope they have been used and enjoyed.

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.