Putnam Co. Solid Waste Trying To Reduce Recycling Contamination

The Putnam County Solid Waste Department has started a Contamination Awareness campaign to inform residents the best practices of recycling.

Program Manager Lisa Luck said contamination is defined as materials that do not belong in a recyclable category. Luck said confusion with recycling has been a big problem for the county.

“I walked into the recycling center the other day, and there was a massive pile of cardboard. I’ve never seen such a tall pile of cardboard,” Luck said. “Generally, it is processed much more quickly than that. There is so much styrofoam and plastic wrapping that people are not taking out.”

Luck said the campaign runs until the end of this month. Luck said the department has created refrigerator cut outs to remind residents what is allowed.

“We’re hoping to see results, and I will do a visual of recycling at a different site each week to see what is going on, ” Luck said. “And of course, the county will be able to tell me if this campaign is effective. Hopefully, they will be seeing less contamination in the recyclables, so we can have a thriving and healthy recycling process.”

Luck said plastic bags and food waste slow down the recycling process and in some cases, make a whole load of materials unusable. Luck said by educating the public on what can be recycled, the county will save time and reuse more.

“When I got to the drop off sites where people can put their recyclables, I see all kind of things that should not be in there,” Luck said. “Number one, some people put florescent light bulbs in with the clear glass. Those can not go in the clear glass. They can be recycled, but they have to be taken to the household hazardous waste facility. Another thing I see in the glass is broken window panes and that is a big no.”

Luck said she understands the unknowns of recycling with so many restrictions. For example, Luck said plastics have a number one through seven indicating what it is made of.

“Putnam County recycles number one and two, but the confusing thing is that the plastic bags you get from Kroger and Walmart, they also have the number two on it. But, the county can not recycle those. Those have to go back to Walmart or Kroger to the recycling bin out front.”

Luck said residents can learn more about what can be recycled and where at whywastegarbage.com.