Dear Recycle Lady,
With all the rain we have been having, my morning newspaper sometimes gets sopping wet. Is it still recyclable? A Reader
Dear Reader,
Yes, wet newspapers can be recycled, but only if they are dried out first. Wet paper of any kind is not recyclable because water breaks down the fibers. Papers with broken fibers cannot be used by the recycling plants to produce new products such as greeting cards, office paper, furniture, jewelry and decorative items. Also, be sure the newspapers are clean. Toss any food-soiled newspapers in the trash, as food, and especially oil, are contaminants. When newspapers are recycled, they are mixed with water and turned into a slurry and, as everyone knows, water and oil don’t mix! Putting only clean, dry newspapers in the recycling bin is important as our buyers may reject an entire batch of newspapers and return it at our expense if too many papers are wet or contaminated.
Incidentally, the plastic sleeve that protects your newspaper when rainy weather is expected is recyclable in bins at both Kroger and Walmart.
Dear Recycle Lady,
The sandwich meat that I purchased last week came in a plastic container with a cardboard lid. A label was glued on the lid that identified the product. When I removed the label from the cardboard lid, the glue remained on the cardboard. However, I was able to remove the glue easily by running my thumb over it. Was it necessary to remove the glue before I put the piece of cardboard in recycle? Recycler
Dear Recycler,
Good thinking. Yes, the glue needs to be removed from the cardboard label before putting it in the recycling bin so as not to contaminate the other cardboard. Glue is made of several different materials, including polyvinyl acetate, which are not recyclable. Also, letters often come in the mail with a membership card, coin or other information glued on the letter. As with any recyclable item, the glue must be removed before recycling to prevent contamination.
Dear Recycle Lady,
I just purchased some beeswax wraps to wrap my lunch sandwiches in. They are amazing. Take My Lunch
Dear Take My Lunch,
Beeswax wraps are indeed amazing. Not only can beeswax wraps be used to wrap sandwiches, they can be used to cover bowls of leftovers. Beeswax wraps are environmentally friendly and so much better than using cling wrap or plastic baggies, both of which go in the trash. After using a beeswax wrap, clean it with a mild soap and warm water. It will be ready to reuse time and time again. Be careful not to use hot water to clean the beeswax wrap as it would melt the wax! These wraps aren’t recommended for highly perishable items like raw meat or for storage over several days.
Kudos to the states of Washington and Oregon that have enacted laws that will phase out some of the most hazardous and wasteful single-use plastics. This brings the number of states that have banned polystyrene foam cups and take-out containers to nine.
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.
