New Recycling Rules Start Today in York

New Recycling Rules Start Today in York

By Amber Lester Monday, July 05, 2010

York County residents can expect their recycling bins to fill up a little faster when the county scales back its recycling curbside pick-up service starting today.

The county Board of Supervisors agreed to reduce the recycling collection service in its 2010 fiscal year budget, approved in April. It was one of several cuts needed to address budget shortfalls, and will save the county $100,000. The current curbside recycling program is available to most houses, townhouses and trailer parks. The service is funded through property taxes.

Recycling 101

Here are some guidelines to what you can and cannot recycle.
Can Recycle
•Paper: newspapers, inserts, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, telephone books, cereal boxes, paper grocery bags, flattened cardboard. Large quantities of cardboard can be recycled, but pick-up must be scheduled in advance by calling 890-3780.
•Glass: Clear, brown or green glass jars and bottles. Rinse and remove lids.
•Metal: Metal cans, aluminum cans, aluminum foil products and metal glass lids.
•Plastic: Plastic bottles and jugs with a #1 or #2 recycling symbol.

Cannot recycle
Plastic bags; wide-mouth plastic tubs, such as yogurt cups or butter tubs; plastic flower pots; Styrofoam products; plastic cups and oil and pesticide containers

Last week, residents received cards explaining the new pick-up schedule. The curbside collection schedule splits neighborhoods into blue collection days and red collection days. Homes designated as “red” will have their recycling picked up July 4-10; “blue” homes will have their recycling collected the following week. From then on, the schedule alternates. Recyclables should be placed curbside by 7 a.m. on the day of pick up.

Despite the change in service, York County’s Department of Environmental and Development Services is encouraging residents to continue or begin recycling. Residents will be permitted to place additional containers or paper bags of recyclables next to their green recycling bins provided by the Virginia Peninsula Public Service Authority. The EDS department recommends residents who have overflowing recycling bins use plastic containers of a comparable size to the county bin.

Residents can also drop off recyclables at the county recycling site at 145 Goodwin Neck Road. The site is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. For more information about the York County recycling service, call 890-3780 or click here.

Comments

0 #6 Guest 2010-07-07 12:00

The O-I glass plant in Toano is local and does use recycled glass. It takes a lot less energy to produce new bottles using recycled glass than using only raw materials.

Besides, even if the recycling center may send some glass to the landfill, why not put your glass in the bin in case it does get recycled. Every effort should be made to recycle whether or not it gets reused.

Quote

+1 #5 Guest 2010-07-06 14:34

We received a postcard from the county and have it on our refrigerator. This will keep us aware of the pick up dates. Our bin is full each week, so we will place our additional recyclables in brown paper bags from the grocery store labeled RECYCLING. I applaud the county for saving money in these trying economic times.

Quote

0 #4 Guest 2010-07-06 11:42

Unfortunately, offwork is right in that almost all the glass collected in recycling bins ends up in landfills anyway. There is no local market for the glass. The bottles often break before processing and are discarded. Putting glass out for recycling uses 2x the diesel for the same net result.

Quote

0 #3 Guest 2010-07-06 07:51

Newport News already has an alternate week recycle pick up and they're thriving. To stay on schedule, you can 1) mark it on your calendar; 2) call and ask; 3) watch what your neighbors set out.

If it's too heavy, it means you're out of shape and shouldn't be whining about something you can fix, unless you're handicapped or a frail elderly person.

Try composting. Composting requires dry material, mixed with kitchen waste, so you can get rid of your newspapers and cardboard that way.

Quote

-6 #2 Guest 2010-07-05 18:08

I would not bother recycling glass. There is no market for the stuff, and it just ends up in the landfill via the recycling center anyway. Save a step and just worry about the metals, plastics and newspaper.

Quote

+4 #1 Guest 2010-07-05 12:20

I'm concerned that people will give up on recycling because they are not sure which week is the right week &/0r containers are too heavy with the extra week's collection (some of us have long driveways). the result may be more recyclables going into the trash filling our available trash landfills.

Quote

Refresh comments list

Add comment

WYDaily invites you to join the community conversation. We expect civil discourse here. Personal attacks on others, indecent language and bad manners in general are unwelcome.

JComments