[rosygail]

I think you pay a recycling fee even if you never put anything out.

[Henryk]

I am a recycling freak. Always have been.

It's easy to recycle here. Excess or spoiled food usually goes down the disposal. Recycle paper, magazines, junk mail, plastic, cans, packing boxes, and materials, food boxes (think cereal, pasta), bottles, facial tissue boxes, other tissue(!) empty rolls, fruit and vegetable containers, orange juice and milk containers. So now look how little "trash" you actually have.

Don't make me go on. You know how I get...

Remember, though, YOU MUST HAVE CLEAR PLASTIC BAGS, otherwise, it's trash.

[villagetinker]

Our house was not setup for recycling, only ONE container in the kitchen. I went to Rev-a-shelf, found a replacement unit that had 2 13 gallon containers in the same space as the original 15 and a garbage container (1 gallon?). This makes recycling much easier as we now have trash (in front) and recycling (in back). We line each container with the appropriate bag and when full move these to the garage for collection the next collection day.
The conversion cost less than $100, and I did NOT have to change out the slides, just the wood piece that holds the trash containers.

[Hancle704]

We lived in NJ before moving to TV and did not pay for recycling there. We pay for it here and yes we definitely have less non-recyclable trash now as do most folks. Just have to wonder why we did not see a reduction in the price we pay for trash pick-up as trucks are taking less loads to landfills.

[Carla B]

We (my husband) converted the left-hand door under the sink into a pull-out drawer that has a space for two plastic bins, one for garbage and one for recycle and, at the back, an old wine box carton where we store the rolled up plastic grocery bags that fit into the bins handy. It's so easy to recycle.

[TheDude]

The recycling should be on both of the garbage days.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Henryk

I am a recycling freak. Always have been.
It's easy to recycle here. Excess or spoiled food usually goes down the disposal. Recycle paper, magazines, junk mail, plastic, cans, packing boxes, and materials, food boxes (think cereal, pasta), bottles, facial tissue boxes, other tissue(!) empty rolls, fruit and vegetable containers, orange juice and milk containers. So now look how little "trash" you actually have.
Remember, though, YOU MUST HAVE CLEAR PLASTIC BAGS, otherwise, it's trash.

[Topspinmo]

I make effort to recycle, but not religious freak about it. I too agree it should be on trash days and not once week to make it easier. especially if I'm getting charged recycling on the bill. But, maybe that's off set the price for once week? Tire companies got it down, make product that the government can charge disposal fee, I'm surprised plastic's are the same way. especially those pop can 6 pack holders that some how find there way into rivers, ponds and ocean.

[Two Bills]

It's not, but it should be.

[retiredguy123]

I think the government should do more to demonstrate to skeptics like me that the materials picked up are actually being recycled and not sent to the landfill. Do we pay less to have separate pickups, or is it just additional profit for the sanitation company? Why is recycling not mandatory? Why are shopping centers and common areas allowed to have trash cans with no provisions for separate recycling? My mailbox area has 5 trash cans with no indication about what can be placed in them. If most of the things we buy are made overseas, how can you "recycle" without sending the stuff back to China, or wherever else it came from? Why can't we hire unemployed people to separate the trash? It seems like we need more clarity on the benefits of recycling.

[Bogie Shooter]

So many questions.....so little time.

[Marathon Man]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I think the government should do more to demonstrate to skeptics like me that the materials picked up are actually being recycled and not sent to the landfill. Do we pay less to have separate pickups, or is it just additional profit for the sanitation company? Why is recycling not mandatory? Why are shopping centers and common areas allowed to have trash cans with no provisions for separate recycling? My mailbox area has 5 trash cans with no indication about what can be placed in them. If most of the things we buy are made overseas, how can you "recycle" without sending the stuff back to China, or wherever else it came from? Why can't we hire unemployed people to separate the trash? It seems like we need more clarity on the benefits of recycling.

We have no control over any of that. Be we do have control of our own actions and our willingness to do our portion of the process. We place recycleables in clear bags and set them out once a week. Not a problem.

[Bjeanj]

Always amazing that a simple question generates 26 responses, most of which barely answer the original question.

[Abby10]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I think the government should do more to demonstrate to skeptics like me that the materials picked up are actually being recycled and not sent to the landfill. Do we pay less to have separate pickups, or is it just additional profit for the sanitation company? Why is recycling not mandatory? Why are shopping centers and common areas allowed to have trash cans with no provisions for separate recycling? My mailbox area has 5 trash cans with no indication about what can be placed in them. If most of the things we buy are made overseas, how can you "recycle" without sending the stuff back to China, or wherever else it came from? Why can't we hire unemployed people to separate the trash? It seems like we need more clarity on the benefits of recycling.

Although, I believe in the value of recycling, I have to admit that you may have a point. The reason I say that is because of a conversation I had about 8 years ago with a woman whose husband is an environmental engineer. As part of his job, he inspects recycling centers/sites. She conveyed to me that the large majority of the recycling (at least at that time ) was not recycled but sent to the landfill as you suggested. She implied that it was a huge money making operation. Up north here, my electric company will pay me $40-50 to pick up my old appliance to recycle as well as other places near me that will do the same, so there must be a payback of some kind.

Before the arrows start flying, I repeat, I'm not against recycling and do so in the many ways others have mentioned. I have friends who work for companies that use recycled materials, so i see the benefit. However it does make one wonder, as with so many things in life these days, where does the truth lie? Maybe someone else on here with more direct experience in the industry could clarify this. I just hate to see the OP being flamed as he may have a valid point/question.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Marathon Man

We have no control over any of that. But we do have control of our own actions and our willingness to do our portion of the process. We place recycleables in clear bags and set them out once a week. Not a problem.

All we can do is our part of the process and hope the Recycling Companies do the rest.