Recycling Changes Effective January 1, 2023

Interesting, Jersey Jack.  What is done with recycled bakery product?  

Elle_Cee said:

Interesting, Jersey Jack.  What is done with recycled bakery product?  

I'm not sure we want to know.

Elle_Cee said:

Interesting, Jersey Jack.  What is done with recycled bakery product?  

Matertial get transported to one of several mills. Paper and plastic is shredded and separated from the food waste material. Flour, dough and bread are heated to 3000 degrees and then pelletized. 

It is then sold to chicken farms contracted to raise chickens for Tyson, Purdue and such.  

The other operation was for pig farms. Food from supermarkets and restaurants is collected and transported to the pig farm. There are two or three left in N.J. There, it is boiled in a boiling vat at 2 hours, 240 degrees. It is then allowed to cool down for 6 hours. It is then feed to the pigs. 

This operation is supervised by the N.J. Department of Ag.

yahooyahoo said:

I'm not sure we want to know.

See answer, above.

Hong Kong used to have recycling bins on the street, which would overflow regularly, though no one would actually litter and let something lay on the walk, they'd simply start stacking things on top of the bins.  Now the govt has removed the bins and asked people to separate recyclables into 11 categories and manually carry them to one of about a dozen recycling centers spread out across the 'Special Administrative Region'.  Mind you most people live in tiny apartments (200' feet) with multiple people and do not have cars.  The result is no one recycles. In comparison Maplewood is confusing, but seems doable. 

Thanks for the insight into one method for creating farm animal feed, Jersey Jack.  Had no idea.  At least those maggots provided a little protein along with the carbs. 

So today was day one for my section and likely for yesterday's sections as it was holiday. I wonder if any folks were surprised if they gasp put out commingled stuff instead of fiber and it wasn't taken. 

I did see my neighbors put out unflattened boxes and they were in fact picked up so perhaps there is a bit of leeway there. We'll see. Any other comments from the audience here?

Lots of bins out a day early under the new schedule in my zone on my walk to the station. Most appeared to contain separated material.

wendy said:

So today was day one for my section and likely for yesterday's sections as it was holiday. I wonder if any folks were surprised if they gasp put out commingled stuff instead of fiber and it wasn't taken. 

I did see my neighbors put out unflattened boxes and they were in fact picked up so perhaps there is a bit of leeway there. We'll see. Any other comments from the audience here?

The holiday did not affect the schedule.  There was pick up on Monday for zones that were normally Monday.  Despite the announcements by the Town, this may have caused some confusion for those customers.

Didn't even see an announcement from the town but in general when a holiday is on a Monday, no pick up. But I suppose here, it wasn't a true Monday holiday like Labor day; only New Year's observed. lol

wendy said:

Didn't even see an announcement from the town but in general when a holiday is on a Monday, no pick up. But I suppose here, it wasn't a true Monday holiday like Labor day; only New Year's observed. lol

Apparently it WASN'T a "true" Monday holiday since it was "observed" on Monday for the actual date being on Sunday.  Unfortunately, they didn't communicate that a week ago, but I did get a text message about it for yesterday - via the Police Departement text line (Nixle, I think.)  

I already knew to put it out yesterday since I had failed to do so the week earlier and regretted it.

Don't think I received that Nixle but I am a true Tuesday so no harm no foul

In my neighborhood, where pickup is Wednesday, multiple bins were out in the morning.  Don't know whether they contained the separated fiber, though.  Lots of cardboard left out to get rained on.  

Anyone know about milk cartons? 

Moammar said:

Anyone know about milk cartons? 

Any cartons that has wax on it is not recyclable. I put mine in the regular garbage.

Moammar said:

Anyone know about milk cartons?

YES! Please Recycle:

Gable-top cartons (OJ, milk, aseptic packaging)

https://www.maplewoodnj.gov/government/public-works/recycling-and-waste-disposal

DaveSchmidt said:

YES! Please Recycle:

Gable-top cartons (OJ, milk, aseptic packaging)

https://www.maplewoodnj.gov/government/public-works/recycling-and-waste-disposal

but they go with comingled not fiber 

Considering what can be recycled and what cannot ive decided to limit my recycling to water bottles and cardboard with monthly runs to the dept of works. It has significantly increased my garbage amount surprisingly as I was recycling ALL wrong with single stream. I've told my tenants they will be responsible for any recycling beyond water bottles and cardboard on their own. 

the18thletter said:

Considering what can be recycled and what cannot ive decided to limit my recycling to water bottles and cardboard with monthly runs to the dept of works. It has significantly increased my garbage amount surprisingly as I was recycling ALL wrong with single stream. I've told my tenants they will be responsible for any recycling beyond water bottles and cardboard on their own. 

Weird post. Nothing much has changed at all. You're a landlord? And by telling your tenants they're responsible that may not hold up. What about all the mail one gets. That is paper and should be recycled. Again, check your own responsibilities as a landlord. SMH

wendy said:

Weird post. Nothing much has changed at all. You're a landlord? And by telling your tenants they're responsible that may not hold up. What about all the mail one gets. That is paper and should be recycled. Again, check your own responsibilities as a landlord. SMH

What has changed is there is no longer single stream which imo is a big change. It also make apparent that i was recycling things that were not supposed to be. I didn't say my tenants couldn't recycle, I said they are responsible for their own recycling, ie keeping up with the schedule and pulling their items curbside. They are also welcome to use my totes that I will be taking to PW. Hopefully one of those 2 options prevents a lawsuit or renewed lease.  I shred my mail and it's not recyclable as a result. 

What were you recycling that you should not have been? As I said and as the guidelines say most has not changes. No paper towel or TP rolls; that is about it. 

This is really not that complicated…..

Put all your commingled recyclables in one container, put it out the night before your pick up. 

Put all your paper/fibers/junk mail/ milk boxes etc in one container, put it out the night before your pickup day.., the following week.

the18thletter said:

What has changed is there is no longer single stream which imo is a big change. It also make apparent that i was recycling things that were not supposed to be. I didn't say my tenants couldn't recycle, I said they are responsible for their own recycling, ie keeping up with the schedule and pulling their items curbside. They are also welcome to use my totes that I will be taking to PW. Hopefully one of those 2 options prevents a lawsuit or renewed lease.  I shred my mail and it's not recyclable as a result. 

Shredded paper is now recyclable.  You just can't leave it out in a plastic bag.

Jaytee said:

This is really not that complicated…..

Put all your commingled recyclables in one container, put it out the night before your pick up.

Put all your paper/fibers/junk mail/ milk boxes etc in one container, put it out the night before your pickup day.., the following week.

It becomes a little more complicated when commenters imply that milk cartons are coated in wax (not for many decades now) and suggest that “milk boxes” — which were what we called the metal container that the milkman used to leave our deliveries in, but whatever — go with fibers.

joan_crystal said:

the18thletter said:

What has changed is there is no longer single stream which imo is a big change. It also make apparent that i was recycling things that were not supposed to be. I didn't say my tenants couldn't recycle, I said they are responsible for their own recycling, ie keeping up with the schedule and pulling their items curbside. They are also welcome to use my totes that I will be taking to PW. Hopefully one of those 2 options prevents a lawsuit or renewed lease.  I shred my mail and it's not recyclable as a result. 

Shredded paper is now recyclable.  You just can't leave it out in a plastic bag.

Where did you read that Joan? Can you show me where? Thanks. If you are assuming it's ok because unlike the prior instructions which say NO shredded paper this one is silent but I would not presume at all especially when you read the Yes re: mail, junk mail and there is no mention of shredded paper.

wendy said:

Where did you read that Joan? Can you show me where? Thanks. If you are assuming it's ok because unlike the prior instructions which say NO shredded paper this one is silent but I would not presume at all especially when you read the Yes re: mail, junk mail and there is no mention of shredded paper.

The source is Nancy Adams who stated this during the January 3, 2023 TC meeting and who posted it to a thread on SOMA Lounge.

I still wouldn't until I heard confirmation from DPW. I am not saying I don't trust Nancy but merely making a statement like that and not being sure of the context I would personally email DPW. 

Edited to add that I just sent Kristen an email query to that effect and also to confirm if boxes in fact need to flattened as I saw unflattened ones on my block that were picked up.

joan_crystal said:

the18thletter said:

What has changed is there is no longer single stream which imo is a big change. It also make apparent that i was recycling things that were not supposed to be. I didn't say my tenants couldn't recycle, I said they are responsible for their own recycling, ie keeping up with the schedule and pulling their items curbside. They are also welcome to use my totes that I will be taking to PW. Hopefully one of those 2 options prevents a lawsuit or renewed lease.  I shred my mail and it's not recyclable as a result. 

Shredded paper is now recyclable.  You just can't leave it out in a plastic bag.

I will just put my shredded paper inside a paper bag folded over to contain the shreds.  Easy!

wendy said:

I still wouldn't until I heard confirmation from DPW. I am not saying I don't trust Nancy but merely making a statement like that and not being sure of the context I would personally email DPW. 

Edited to add that I just sent Kristen an email query to that effect and also to confirm if boxes in fact need to flattened as I saw unflattened ones on my block that were picked up.

I hope it's not a problem, because our plan is to use one box as the container for the other "fiber" items being recycled each week.  Then we don't have to bring the container back from the curb.  This week, we did put out a LOT of flattened boxes in a couple of unflattened boxes along with the other paper and they accepted it FWIW.

Elle_Cee said:

Thanks for the insight into one method for creating farm animal feed, Jersey Jack.  Had no idea.  At least those maggots provided a little protein along with the carbs. 

It is more polite to refer to maggots as white meat.