Pop quiz to see if you read my posts over the past 2 weeks about paper. I'll post the answers on Monday. Feel free to respond in the comments, or ask questions!
1) I have a large report that is stapled together. Do I really have to take the staple out before putting it in the recycling bin?
Nope! The recycling process can handle miscellaneous staples, paper clips, etc.
Nope! The recycling process can handle miscellaneous staples, paper clips, etc.
2) Did you notice that paper towels and toilet paper come on cardboard rolls? Can these be recycled?
(some brands are doing away with the cardboard rolls to save resources!)
YES! They can. Paper towels can also be composted in our compost bucket at City Hall. And the cardboard boxes that tissues come in can be recycled, too.
YES! They can. Paper towels can also be composted in our compost bucket at City Hall. And the cardboard boxes that tissues come in can be recycled, too.
3) I just printed out 10 pages of labels and stuck them to the envelopes. What should I do with the backing paper?
They have to be thrown away :( The plastic coating that allows the labels to come off doesn't allow the paper to be recycled. Alternatives include printing the addresses directly on the envelopes (and then you save the time of sticking the labels onto the envelopes)
They have to be thrown away :( The plastic coating that allows the labels to come off doesn't allow the paper to be recycled. Alternatives include printing the addresses directly on the envelopes (and then you save the time of sticking the labels onto the envelopes)
4) All of our mail seems to come in those envelopes with windows. Do I need to throw these away?
NO! The recycling process can handle small amounts of plastic contaminants like these.
NO! The recycling process can handle small amounts of plastic contaminants like these.
5) After I microwave my frozen Lean Cuisine lunch, what should I do with the box that it came in?
It has to be thrown away :( The boxes that frozen food comes in contain "wet strength" - a chemical that keeps it from breaking down in water. Since the recycling process relies on water to break down the paper, this is a problem.
It has to be thrown away :( The boxes that frozen food comes in contain "wet strength" - a chemical that keeps it from breaking down in water. Since the recycling process relies on water to break down the paper, this is a problem.
6) We used paper plates for a sandwich-type lunch. No food got on the plates. Can we recycle them? NO! The plates often have either a plastic or wax coating, or wet strength added, so they don't break down in the recycling process
7) What about the paper cups that we used that had water in them?
No. Same reason as above.
No. Same reason as above.
8) I shred all my sensitive documents. Can I recycle them? What should I put them in? (hah - 2 questions here!)
YES! Shredded paper can be recycled. Most waste management companies ask that you put it in paper bags, but we can also work with Hoodview Disposal to have a special pick-up of large amounts of shredded paper in plastic bags.
YES! Shredded paper can be recycled. Most waste management companies ask that you put it in paper bags, but we can also work with Hoodview Disposal to have a special pick-up of large amounts of shredded paper in plastic bags.
9) Name 1 benefit of recycling paper and/or using recycled paper with high post-consumer waste content.
saved 3.6 million trees
- reduce air emissions
- save water
- prevented the release of waste into the wastewater system
- requires 40% less energy than making paper from virgin wood products
- releases 38% fewer green-house gases
10) At least on the Planning & Building side of City Hall, we use carbonless paper for hand-written receipts, building inspections, etc. What should we do with the scraps and other pieces that we don't need?
This was a trick question, since I just updated the answer in the blog about paper recycling. YES, it is!
Bonus Question: What is the one exception to question 5 above?
Amy's Organics. These have been confirmed to NOT use wet strength chemicals.
Amy's Organics. These have been confirmed to NOT use wet strength chemicals.
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