Recology

Ever wondered which types of plastics get recycled most? Do you want to know what happens to your blue bin materials after they’re collected at the curb? In honor of #EarthMonth, we sat down with Julia Mangin, our Head of Sustainability, to discuss the truth about recycling and some of the mysteries that surround it. Check out our conversation at https://bit.ly/3VRLKwU.

We are thrilled to announce that Recology King County has won the 2024 Excellence in Recycling Public Education award from the National Waste & Recycling Association! This prestigious recognition highlights our team's dedication to increasing recycling participation, reducing contamination, and promoting reuse. Special shout-out to the RKC Waste Zero team for their incredible work in increasing participation in recycling and composting programs, reducing contamination, promoting reuse, and engaging the community in so many ways. 💚 Join us in congratulating the RKC team and read more about their award at https://bit.ly/4cfQSj7.

We know going completely plastic-free can be challenging, so we're committed to ensuring good recycling systems are in place when plastics need to be used. Over the last five years alone, we’ve invested tens of millions of dollars in advanced technologies to upgrade sorting capabilities across our materials recovery facilities! By implementing artificial intelligence, cutting-edge robotics, and more alongside our skilled hand-sorter employees, we’ve created an intricate system to be sure as much material gets recycled as possible!

The responsibility to recycle shouldn’t fall solely on individual consumers. Extended producer responsibility (EPR) and source reduction policies can help address the gaps in our current recycling systems by requiring manufacturers to take environmental and financial responsibility for the full lifecycle of their products. These policies will bring us closer to a #plasticfree future if done right, which is why we’re actively engaging in the conversation and partnering with organizations to implement these bills!

Until we can eliminate plastics completely, we want to ensure that the maximum amount of recyclable plastic materials get recycled when possible. In 2023 alone, Recology recovered 30.77 million pounds of plastic! If you are unsure of what to put in your recycling bin, be sure to check whatbin.com or contact your local Recology or local jurisdiction. We’re here to help!

Did you know that rigid and hard plastics like plastic tubs, jugs, and containers get recycled at higher rates than most other types of plastics? For example, in 2022 we recovered 99% of type PP #5 plastics (like sour cream tubs and yogurt cups) at our San Francisco facilities! Flimsy plastics, like film plastics and bags (#3, #4, #6, and #7), are recovered at much lower rates, if at all, which is why avoiding them altogether and finding reusable alternatives is the best move when possible! When in doubt, be sure to check whatbin.com to ensure that your plastics are correctly placed in the right bin.

We’re continuing our Weekend Cleanup Events, which help SF residents discard their bulky items and donate other belongings in resale condition to SF Bay Goodwill! This Saturday, July 13, we’ll be set up at James Lick Middle School to help District 8 residents discard/donate items that they no longer need. We’ll have free compost made from green cart materials available to take home with you if you’re interested, so bring a 5-gallon bucket! For more info, visit https://bit.ly/3VVhsrg

Did you know that 76% of all residential recyclable materials across the country don't make it into a recycling bin? However, when they do, it’s estimated that materials recovery facilities (MRFs) sort and process 87% of the recyclable materials they receive (The Recycling Partnership). This means that placing your recyclable materials – like paper, cardboard, metal, glass, and certain plastics – in your recycling bin is key to ensuring they get recycled. Recycling won’t solve the plastics problem entirely. However, by choosing to recycle and making small changes in your everyday choices like replacing disposable items with reusable ones, together we can reduce landfill waste and move towards a plastic-free future! Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3XCtdFB

Last weekend, we honored Liz, Berlie, Rick, and Ramiro for their exceptional work and service to San Francisco! Together, they represent 93 years of work experience as Recology employee-owners. We are proud to have dedicated and highly skilled workers who help educate, uplift, and serve our community. Thank you four for all that you do, and thank you, San Francisco Giants, for featuring our honorees and all your sustainability accomplishments!

Happy #PlasticFreeJuly! It can be tough to know exactly what is and isn’t recyclable, so it’s best to avoid single-use plastics when you can! If you find yourself unsure when disposing plastics, a good rule of thumb is to throw away flimsy plastics and recycle hard plastics. Always make sure your recyclables are empty, clean, and dry. Remember, each community has different recycling policies, so it’s important to check with your local collection company when you’re unsure!