New Recycling Guidelines for Media Borough

New Recycling Guidelines

Media Borough has contracted with a new recycling vendor and that brings changes to the program. Media’s new recycling vendor can process three types of plastics: types 1, 2 and 5. See below for examples of containers that may use those types of plastics. All other plastics should placed in the trash.

Please rinse and clean all containers before recycling. No plastic bags or liners in your bins because they interfere with automated processing equipment.

Which Plastics Can Be Recycled

Type 1 is the usual plastic in soft drinks, water, ketchup and beer bottles, mouthwash bottles, peanut butter containers, salad dressing, and vegetable oil containers.

Type 2 is typically used for milk jugs, juice bottles, bleach, detergent and other household cleaner bottles, shampoo bottles, motor oil, and butter and yogurt tubs.

Some takeout containers, yogurt containers, syrup and medicine bottles, caps, and straws may be made of type 5 plastic.

Other recycling tips

• Do not put any recycling in plastic bags. The recycling equipment cannot handle these, causing the contents to be thrown away.
• Styrofoam, aerosol cans and black plastic containers cannot be recycled.
• Clamshell container, commonly used for small fruits and vegetables cannot be recycled.
• Shredded paper cannot be recycled. Put it in your compost bin, instead.
• Paper can’t be recycled if it’s mixed with other materials. Remove the bubble wrap or plastic windows before recycling padded packaging or security envelopes.
• Before recycling food and drink cans, remove paper or plastic labels and clean out any residual materials.
• Plastic lids are too small to recycle, so put them on the containers or throw them away.

Remember: when in doubt, throw it out. The best option always is to reduce plastic use. Any questions about the Borough recycling program should be directed to the Borough public works department