Please read the recycling rules! https://www.wm.com/us/en/recycle-right
FLATTEN all BOXES
NO Plastic bags/film/bubbles
Think: might this get tangled in a sorting machine? If so, it’s trash or perhaps return-to-store.
All recycling should be LOOSE in the bin. NOT in boxes or bags, not even IN paper bags.
NO Styrofoam
WM charges us an EXTRA $53/bin/pickup when the recycling is "contaminated", and just having a couple of plastic bags is sufficient. See an actual video of WM "evidence" we had "contaminated" recycling.
Note that Ralphs market has a plastic bag (types 2, 4 and "return to store" only) outside the Alton Square store. Others stores provide this too.
On 15July, Powerstone sent this email blast. On 10Aug, Powerstone sent this email blast. (If you're not subscribing to email blasts, contact dhoff_at_powerstonepm.com, but with @ instead)
Wed 19Aug (Day Three)
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| Removed from 4000 recycling. These are new in 24hrs. See 4 plastic bags with recycling. NO plastic bags/film allowed. At least 1 of the bags had both trash and recycling in it. Trashed all but a few items on top. The tall box had styrofoam in it, also not allowed by WM, trashed contents. All boxes were flattened and returned, except 2 produce crates that are just too sturdy. Cardboard from a trash bin was rescued to compensate. Elapsed time: 23min |
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| Removed from 2000 recycling bin. All that flexible plastic would incur a surcharge from WM. One of the boxes had a handful of animal feces in a paper towel; that's not recyclable, really, not even the used paper towel. Boxes were flattened and returned. Elapsed time: 7min |
Tues 18Aug (Day Two)
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| Items REMOVED from 4000 recycling bin. All boxes were flattened and returned. NO plastic bags. They were emptied into the recycler, and bags were trashed. Time to do that: 14min |
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| Removed from 2000 recycling bin. Boxes were flattened and returned. Plastic bags/films were trashed. |
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| Boxes removed from 2000 TRASH, flattened, and placed in recycler. Time to finish 2000 recycling edits: 30min |
Mon 17Aug2020
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| The 2000 bin, BEFORE. Note the big Kirkland plastic bag in the back, the clear plastic bag on the left, and the 3 non-flat Lite Pilsner boxes. |
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| Removed. The flexible plastic is not allowed by WM; lots of smaller plastic bags/film are inside. The clear bag was trash, not recycling. |
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| 2000 bin AFTER. Couldn't reach the Bemis boxes in the back. Time since "before" photo: 16min |
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| 4000 bin BEFORE. Notice 2 white bags center right, plastic material center left, and unflattened box on right. |
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| SOME of the "contamination" items. The Amazon box can be flattened, the pizza box just needed the food removed. Styrofoam is NOT allowed. Plastic bags/film are not allowed. And recycling is NOT reclamation. No appliances are allowed. |
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| 4000 bin AFTER. Time since "before" photo: 13min |
