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Is it recyclable?
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Ham Sandwich
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Jul 30, 2016, 03:05 PM
 
A thread for any MacNN poster to ask if something is recyclable.

McDonalds Soft Drink – Stock Editorial Photo © macropixel #8026887

^ Is that soda container once rinsed recyclable in the USA? The straw, the lid, and cup, and how do you know?
     
Cap'n Tightpants
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Jul 30, 2016, 09:28 PM
 
Well, it's waxed cardboard. Yes, it can be. The rest is light polyethylene, which is a code 4 recyclable.
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andi*pandi
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Jul 30, 2016, 10:37 PM
 
the lid and the cup, but I don't think the straw.
     
subego
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Jul 30, 2016, 10:48 PM
 
My understanding is whether waxed cardboard is a go is on a municipality by municipality basis.
     
Cap'n Tightpants
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Jul 31, 2016, 12:49 AM
 
^^ Yeah, that's true. Some places may not recycle waxed CB.
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OldManMac
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Jul 31, 2016, 06:59 AM
 
Originally Posted by subego View Post
My understanding is whether waxed cardboard is a go is on a municipality by municipality basis.
Agreed. My township doesn't take them. They take code 1 through 7 on plastic, and they take glass, but not colored glass, and they take paper, but not magazines, and they take cardboard, but no bigger than 2' X 2'. <sigh>

The recyclables business is very fluid and sporadic, as it depends on what they can resell at any given moment.
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P
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Jul 31, 2016, 07:10 AM
 
I hear the recycling business works very differently in the US, then.

Over here, the manufacturer is responsible for packaging being recycled or otherwise recovered when it is waste. In practice, this works by having the city handle the recycling, but being paid to do so by the manufacturer - meaning that you can package your stuff as you like, but if it is hard to recycle, it becomes expensive. For the consumer, it just means that all packaging materials can and should be recycled.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
Waragainstsleep
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Jul 31, 2016, 07:54 AM
 
I think they normally print a logo on the item that tells you it can be recycled here.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
subego
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Jul 31, 2016, 11:10 AM
 
What pisses me off is how few places will take fluorescent tubes.

Do you want mercury in landfills?
     
P
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Jul 31, 2016, 12:40 PM
 
Originally Posted by subego View Post
What pisses me off is how few places will take fluorescent tubes.

Do you want mercury in landfills?
I've noticed that too. Even places that take used batteries refuse them for some stupid reason.

(But... Landfills? Pretty sure they have been outlawed here for a decade or so now. Everything is either recycled or incinerated)
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
subego
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Jul 31, 2016, 01:37 PM
 
We've got room.
     
subego
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Jul 31, 2016, 01:58 PM
 
Originally Posted by P View Post
I hear the recycling business works very differently in the US, then.
I'm pretty sure it's mostly a state thing here, so we've got 50 systems. I know California is psycho about it. We don't seem that way in Illinois.

Chicago used to have a better recycling system, but that was one of the first things they axed when the economy hit the fan.

It has yet to be reinstated. Thanks, Rahm!


The city's main recycling drop-off center is open a grand total of 10 hours a week.
     
Ham Sandwich
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Jul 31, 2016, 02:29 PM
 
What about local hardware stores? They ought to accept CFLs for recycling.

My district is bound to Casella Resource Solutions | Putting Waste to Work - this says what is and is not recyclable in my area.
Looks like straws go in trash.

What about the paper inside the pizza box that gets the oil from pepperoni on it?
     
subego
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Jul 31, 2016, 03:44 PM
 
CFLs aren't a problem. It's the actual tube type ones.
     
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Jul 31, 2016, 05:26 PM
 
Originally Posted by subego View Post
We've got room.
We have more room - per capita, anyway - but we probably need the waste heat more than you do, too. All decently sized Swedish cities have remote heat, where any major industry can connect to a hot water network to sell its waste heat, which is then used to heat buildings. Garbage incinerators work as the buffer in the system, so homes don't go cold on Christmas when major industries close.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
mindwaves
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Jul 31, 2016, 07:49 PM
 
My city's hazardous waste division doesn't accept small household water coolers (ones that disperse hot and cold water), or probably fridges for that matter.
     
subego
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Jul 31, 2016, 08:09 PM
 
Originally Posted by P View Post
We have more room - per capita, anyway
We give less ****s?
     
andi*pandi
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Jul 31, 2016, 10:29 PM
 
Originally Posted by And.reg View Post
What about the paper inside the pizza box that gets the oil from pepperoni on it?
My town's recycling does not allow paper that has had food on it, so no to pizza paper, paper plates, etc. OJ and Milk cartons, rinsed, are fine though.

We share hazardous recycling with the surrounding towns, it's a PITA to remember/plan for which day every other month we are allowed to bring stuff in. So I have a stockpile in the basement of things waiting to go.
     
subego
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Jul 31, 2016, 11:00 PM
 
My entire garage shelf at one point was overtaken by fluorescent tubes, useless wall warts, old hard drives, and batteries... oh so many batteries.
     
Cap'n Tightpants
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Jul 31, 2016, 11:40 PM
 
Originally Posted by subego View Post
We give less ****s?
Exactly. He can tell it to Wyoming, Montana, and the Dakotas (not to mention Alaska).
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reader50
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Aug 1, 2016, 02:41 AM
 
Home Depot will accept spent batteries. Lithium, NiMH, NiCad, etc. Look for a box near the exit, or ask customer service.

Wall warts and perhaps hard drives can go to a metals recycler - they're mostly interested in the copper windings. Bonus: they'll pay a little.
     
subego
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Aug 1, 2016, 09:01 AM
 
I avoid the one at my Home Depot because people just throw trash in the box.
     
pottymouth
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Aug 2, 2016, 05:42 PM
 
Home Depot will take CFLs, too. But no big tubes. I've got a pile of those that I keep around waiting for my town's hazardous waste recycling day that I've missed for the last 4 years.

We've got single stream recycling here, so you can throw anything you want in your barrel. What actually gets recycled and what gets dumped, I have no idea.
     
The Final Shortcut
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Aug 3, 2016, 09:20 PM
 
Originally Posted by Cap'n Tightpants View Post
Exactly. He can tell it to Wyoming, Montana, and the Dakotas (not to mention Alaska).
Really? Do those states have decent recycling programs?
     
Cap'n Tightpants
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Aug 3, 2016, 11:03 PM
 
No idea, but they have an amazing amount of room per capita.
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The Final Shortcut
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Aug 4, 2016, 11:47 AM
 
Oh.

I don't think a dick-swinging contest about the lowest population density was the point of that exchange.
     
andi*pandi
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Aug 4, 2016, 12:12 PM
 
I understood the point was those places have lots of empty space in which to stash garbage.

Wasn't there a movie where they hollowed out the mountains and filled em with garbage?
     
osiris
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Aug 4, 2016, 01:11 PM
 
I live in NYC, mostly everything gets recycled and it's a PITA but it's a good thing.
My only break from this is going to AZ where you basically just throw everything into the desert and hope for the best.
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Ham Sandwich
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Aug 8, 2016, 11:30 AM
 
What about the metal seal of a cream cheese container?
     
Ham Sandwich
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Aug 17, 2016, 06:05 AM
 
What about the little plastic lotion/wash bottles that they give you when you stay at a Mariott or some place like that? Recyclable?
     
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Aug 17, 2016, 07:16 AM
 
Probably, if there is a material marker on them.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
Ham Sandwich
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Aug 17, 2016, 07:20 AM
 
The bottom has, embezzled into the plastic:

SYSCO GUEST SUPPLY LLC RG7 8DA
08852
22 mL

And then a big 5302 printed in blue.

The top cap appears to have no label of any kind.
     
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Aug 17, 2016, 10:24 AM
 
Then no. It should have a mark that is either a number in a rounded rectangle, a number inside a recycling triangle, or a polymer marking like >PP<.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
Spheric Harlot
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Aug 18, 2016, 08:27 AM
 
Originally Posted by And.reg View Post
The bottom has, embezzled into the plastic:
I'm a fraud you may have misappropriated that term.

And before you axe who dyed and embossed me: 'Twas my grammar.
     
Ham Sandwich
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Aug 18, 2016, 03:57 PM
 
Uh... alright whatever

Anyway what about the ice cream carton, I think it's waxy paper (?)
     
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Aug 18, 2016, 05:32 PM
 
Waxed paper is not recyclable, so if it truly is that you have to trash it. Modern dairy packages frequently use a type of plastic-covered paper that feels the same but which can be recycled.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
Ham Sandwich
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Aug 18, 2016, 07:13 PM
 
I honestly can't tell. Here's an example: https://www.gianteagle.com/29839007127.aspx
     
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Aug 19, 2016, 03:35 AM
 
It would probably say on the packaging somewhere if it is recyclable.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
andi*pandi
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Aug 19, 2016, 08:38 PM
 
ice cream cartons no. milk and oj cartons, yes.
     
subego
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Aug 19, 2016, 09:56 PM
 
America... Y U NO MILK IN A BAG?
     
andi*pandi
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Aug 20, 2016, 12:03 PM
 
it's bad enough when a carton is damaged and leaks everywhere, I can't imagine the mess a bag would be. Plus fitting in the fridge?
     
subego
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Aug 20, 2016, 02:28 PM
 
Pitcher, yo.

How often do you get a leaky Capri Sun?
     
Ham Sandwich
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Aug 28, 2016, 10:07 AM
 
Originally Posted by And.reg View Post
What about the metal seal of a cream cheese container?
Never got an answer to this.

Same question for metal seal of certain milk/juice/other bottles and containers.

Also what about the waxy paper from which you peel stickers?
( Last edited by Ham Sandwich; Aug 28, 2016 at 12:47 PM. )
     
   
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