Plastic Bags Are Gumming Up Waukesha Recycling Effort: City

WAUKESHA, WI — Officials in Waukesha say that one out of every five items area residents are throwing in recycling bins is actually trash — and it's causing trouble at recycling processing centers. It's also causing the city to lose out on hundreds of thousands of recycling dollars, officials say.

"The problem seems to be getting worse over time and it's getting more and more expensive over time," said Dustin Nolan, City of Waukesha's Recycling and Solid Waste Coordinator in a WTMJ report. Nolan said the worst culprits are those plastic bags you get at places like the supermarket.

"Recycling contamination is becoming a large problem with many items being placed in the recycling bin that are not recyclable. Please remember to keep it simple when it comes to recycling and follow the attached recycling guide," City of Waukesha officials said this week.

Items that you can recycle:

Cans: aluminum and steel
Cartons: food and beverage cartons
Glass: bottles and jars
Paper: cereal boxes, newspapers, magazines, mail, flattened cardboard and paper tubes
Plastic: bottles and containers from your kitchen, laundry or bath.

Items that cannot be recycled:

Appliances
Bagged Recyclables
Batteries
Car Parts (Brake Rotors, etc.)
Ceramics
Chains
Christmas Trees or Lights
Clothing
Construction Debris
Cords
Cups (Paper or Styrofoam)
Diapers
Drinking Glasses or Mugs
Food
Garbage
Garden Pots or Trays
Hangers
Hard Cover Books
Helium Cylinders or Tanks
Hoses
Liquids
Light Bulbs
Loose Caps and Lids
Medical Waste & Medication
Motor Oil Bottles
Needles, Sharps, Syringes
Paint or Paint Cans
Paper Ice Cream Containers
Jan. 2019
Paper Plates or Cups
Plastic Bags, Wrap, Film
Plastic Utencils
Propane Cylinders or Tanks
Scrap Metal
Styrofoam
Take Out Packaging or Containers
Tires
Tissue Paper
Toys
Window Glass or Mirrors
Wires
Wood
Yard Waste or Compost