Recycle Box Basics: How and What to Recycle

EWSWA: Waste Diversion: Recycle => Reduce.. Reuse.. Recycle => Guides and Activities => Recycle Box Basics: What and How to Recycle


	Sort it out. Use your Red Box for paper products (no containers please) and your Blue Box for containers (plastic bottles & jugs, cans, glass etc.) If you use only one Blue Box, place paper items on the bottom and the container recyclables on the top to keep the papers in place. Never put your recyclables in plastic bags (plastic bags are NOT recyclable in this area.) If you have too many paper products to fit in the Red Box then place the excess in a Blue Box but DO NOT MIX with containers. Extra Red or Blue recycling boxes can be purchased at Home Hardware stores for $6.00 and at our Truckload Sales Events (Spring & Autumn, 1 day only sales). New collection item added to the Blue Box effective May 2008 EMPTY tubs and their lids tubs must be empty and lids removed and placed in the box separately Gable Top beverage containers (such as milk or juice cartons) click here for PDF document of our Residential Recycling Flyer (1 page, 173KB)
	ACCEPTABLE BLUE BOX MATERIALS
	What: Glass Bottles and Jars Glass juice bottles, mouthwash bottles, peanut butter jars & salad dressing bottles. How: Please remove the metal lids and place them loose in the Blue Box. Plastic lids are NOT recyclable. Please DO NOT place ceramic or window glass in your Blue Box. They are not recyclable.	Glass bottles & jars

	What: Tin Cans and Aluminum Beverage Cans, foil plates & trays (clean out contents please), clean tin foil How: Rinse out your tin cans to discourage rodents, animals and bugs from invading your Blue Box. Aluminum pop and juice containers can be crushed to make more space in your Blue Box (optional). NEW ITEMS: EMPTY AEROSOL CANS & EMPTY PAINT CANS (remove lids!)	Aluminum & Tin Cans Empty Paint Cans

	What: Plastic Bottles and Jugs (identified by a narrow neck opening) How: Look at the top or opening of your plastic container. Rinse out the contents and discard the caps or spray top. Flatten the plastic container if you need more room in your Blue Box. Beginning June 2008 we can accept plastic tubs and lids in our Blue Box program . REUSE: Use plastic tub containers to store left-overs, as lunch containers, or for crafts. Some organizations such as schools, day care centres, church groups and Scouts collect them for craft projects for the children.

	Please DO NOT place your recyclables in plastic bags only PAPER bags are recyclable in our area.
	Paper Products
		The RED BOX is for your paper products as listed below. Please DO NOT use your red box for containers.

	What: Junk Mail, letters and envelopes How: Gather your paper flyers, brochures, pamphlets, letters and envelopes (remove plastic window on envelopes) into a paper bag or loose in the bottom of your Red/Blue Box.	Junk Mail

	What: Newspaper How: Bundle your newspapers or place them loose in the bottom of your Red/Blue Box. Do NOT use plastic bags.

	What: Magazines, Paperbacks & Catologues How: Place them in your Red/Blue Box either bundled, loose or in a paper bag. REUSE: Donate your old magazines to the English or Art Department of your local High School. Often students are given assignments that require gathering pictures and advertisements from magazines.	Colour/Glossy Magazines Paperbacks and Catologues

	What: Hard Cover Bound Books How: We can accept the books in your red box as of May 2008. Please keep in mind that some hard cover books can make your red box extremely heavy. If you have many to put out at once, consider grouping them into small cardboar boxes that are easier to lift into the truck. REUSE: Donate your books to organizations that may be interested in reusing them, such as Scouting Clubs, Day Care Centres, Church Groups, Seniors Craft Groups or Charitable Organizations.

	What: Boxboard, mixed paper, packaging etc. How: Items such as cereal boxes, tissue boxes, paper egg cartons, paper tubes, takeout paper cups and other assorted paper packaging can be flattened and gathered together in a paper bag or in another boxboard container such as a cereal box or laundry soap box. Flattening these boxes will gain you extra room in your Red Box.	Recycle Tim Horton's cups but discard plastic lids from EMPTY cups and containers then place in Red Box.

	What: Milk Cartons/Juice Cartons are now recyclable. PLEASE PUT THEM IN YOUR BLUE BOX, NOT THE RED BOX. THEY ARE CONSIDERED CONTAINERS.

	What: Cardboard Any cardboard which has the wavy corrugation can be broken down to a size no larger than 30"x30" and bundles no thicker than 8". How: Place your bundles beside your Red/Blue Box. You may also bring your excess cardboard to the Public Drop Off Depot in Windsor or the Transfer Station No. 2 near Leamington.

	What: Used Motor Oil How: Place used motor oil in a sturdy plastic 4 litre container with a screw on cap (to prevent spills and leaks). Place it BESIDE your recycle box(es) for collection. Mark the container "Used Motor Oil". Glass containers and plastic containers with snap on tops will NOT be collected. Please place no more than TWO containers out for recycling collection as there is a limited amount of space for used oil on the recycle trucks.

	For more information please call our Waste Reduction Hotline at 1-800-563-3377 (Essex County and Windsor Residents)

	The information on this site is provided by: Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority. Last Revised: October 1, 2008	Next: Red Box Info

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