Recycling Returns to Separate Pickup Days in 2019

Recycling plans get recycled starting this week.

In recent years, Huntington residents were able to toss a mix of paper, plastic and glass into one recycling bin for weekly pickup. Download the calendar

But because of a collapse in the global recycling market, meaning mixed recyclables are no longer welcome, Huntington, like other communities on Long Island, is returning to a dual, or separated, recycling schedule starting this week.

 The Town Board voted Dec. 18 to reinstate dual-stream recycling, saying that the move would save an estimated  $1.5 million in 2019. The town said that alternating the material on recycling days requires less sorting, which decreases the cost of the program, and also improves the quality of paper and corrugated cardboard.

Plastics, bottles and cans will be picked up the first week, with paper and cardboard on Jan. 9, and then alternate weekly.

Recycling pickup will not be canceled during holiday weeks in 2019.

The town offers these tips:

  •     Keep paper recyclables clean and dry: Wet and soiled paper and cardboard are NOT recyclable. Keep paper dry by putting a lid on paper recycling containers. Ensure paper is clean by keeping paper separate from your bottles, cans, and plastics.
  •     Do not place recyclables in plastic bags: Plastic bags are NOT recyclable at the curb (they are only recyclable at take back/drop off sites such as your local supermarket). Remember to rinse your bottles, cans and jars, placing items loose in your recycling container.
  •     When in doubt, throw it out. It is better to throw an item in the trash than have it contaminate your curbside pickup, which drives up the cost of processing recyclables.
  •     Try to avoid glass: While glass is recyclable, it is very difficult and costly to recycle. If you can find ways to reuse glass or avoid purchasing goods in glass containers, this practice will help keep recycling costs down.

Enviromensch: Skip the Straws

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