Do You Have To Clean Out Peanut Butter Jars Before Recycling

With more of a global focus on plastic — and where it can and can't be sold — the Greatcoat Breton Regional Municipality wants residents to remember that what they're throwing out has bodily value.

Last fiscal yr, Greatcoat Breton Regional Municipality received $800,000 from the sale of recyclable materials, but it lost out on an estimated $30,000 because of contaminated items. (Norma Jean MacPhee/CBC)

With more than of a global focus on plastic — and where it tin can and tin't be sold — Cape Breton Regional Municipality wants residents to remember that what they're throwing out has actual value.

"Not everything that we're going to toss away is considered garbage," said Rochelle Clarke, the education co-ordinator for CBRM's solid waste department.

Recycling should exist the last option — Clarke strongly encourages people to reduce and reuse beginning — but when yous practice recycle, make certain at that place's no food residue left, she said.

"Nosotros want to make certain we have practiced quality materials that we're sending off to the different markets."

$30K lost due to contamination

Last fiscal year, CBRM received $800,000 from the auction of recyclable materials. Only it potentially lost $30,000 in revenue because some items were contaminated.

Food residue is the No. 1 culprit for contaminating feasible plastic product for markets. The top trouble items landing in the garbage that should be recycled are peanut butter jars and canned tomato plant sauce.

Clarke said people often don't clean their plastic peanut butter containers considering they're sticky and take more than try to rinse. (Norma Jean MacPhee/CBC)

"People don't like to rinse those containers out because they are gooey, they are sticky and they do take a little more endeavor to rinse out," said Clarke.

Clarke said some people complain cleaning those types of containers tin can waste water, but she said people can launder them along with their dishes.

Dos and don'ts of recycling

She said they do, still, try to have reasonable goals for what residents will wash.

"We don't expect people to rinse off anything that comes into contact with meats, fishes or poultry," said Clarke.

Along with the required rinsing, another big no-no is stacking can cans or stuffing smaller plastic items into larger plastic containers, even if everything involved is recyclable.

Stuffing smaller plastic items into larger plastic containers is a recycling no-no. (Norma Jean MacPhee/CBC)

"We want residents to identify the materials loosely in the blue bags," said Clarke.

Typical items put in the garbage that could and should exist recycled include the paper cylinders from toilet paper and paper towels.

Clarke too said shampoo, conditioner and body-launder bottles all besides ofttimes are not rinsed and put in blue recycling bags.

Plastic lids tin exist recycled, merely coffee cups can't. (Norma Jean MacPhee/CBC)

Other noteworthy rules for CBRM:

Containers with a mixture of materials — including plastic and waxy heavy paper — are regular garbage.
Plastic coffee cup lids are recyclable, but the cup is garbage.
Pizza boxes, depending on their condition, are either recyclable paper or for the green bin, merely not garbage.

Non everything people toss away is garbage, Clarke says. (Norma Jean MacPhee/CBC)

While these are the rules for CBRM, Clarke said each municipality has different capabilities, so it's best to bank check when yous're visiting somewhere else.

Clarke said whenever people are in doubt about an item, they should call CBRM'southward waste management hotline, rather than only put it in the garbage.

"We have to change the way nosotros call up nigh garbage," she said.