3 Answers

• Reputation: 18 Q&A: 0 0 0 18 0 0 Classifieds: 0 0 what's this? Expert: 1 topic Recycle/Re-Use Follow Following 0

  1 0 1. Not in Seattle 2. Yes in Seattle 3. Cannot be composted. Can be recycled if cleaned out 4. Tissues and paper towels from a bathroom are not accepted for composting. Kitchen paper towels are accepted. This is according to Cedar Grove Composting Facility policy. 5. In Seattle, only shopping bags are accepted and bundling is the right way to go. Food bags are not accepted due to possible contamination. While your bag may be clean many will not be and no one at the recycling facility on the pick line has time to go through them all to figure that out. Reuse produce bags as much as possible - so many possibilities from food to shoes to umbrellas to crocheting them into a hat! Marcia Rutan answered in Recycle/Re-Use about 1 year ago | Report 4 comments by miabew, miabew, and e… 0 0 Thanks, this was useful info! Yep, I really try to avoid plastic bags period cause it's a nightmare figuring out what to do with them afterward. If I have to use them, I re-use them over and over: bring my lunch to work, take them with me to bag produce at my co-op, etc...but eventually they will tear a hole and it bums me out I can't recycle them along with my other plastics, although it makes sense to avoid contamination from food bags! miabew commented about 1 year ago | Report 0 0 Tom is saying we can compost those brown paper take out containers as long as they're not lined with plastic. Awesome! miabew commented about 1 year ago | Report 0 0 Could you explain the difference between a kitchen paper towel and a bathroom paper towel? Is it based on what is on those paper towels? e commented about 1 year ago | Report 0 0 I think that you can only compost kitchen paper towels that are soiled with food. I'll let the experts clarify this one... miabew commented about 1 year ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

  Share this answer with a friend:

• Reputation: 73 Q&A: 3 0 0 14 1 0 Classifieds: 0 0 what's this? Expert: 1 topic Recycle/Re-Use Follow Following 0 Tom Watson

  1 0 1) I don't know of any recycling programs that take lids under 3". Most programs don't take any lids, but Seattle will take plastic lids 3" and larger. Regarding this and many of the other questions, what different programs accept depends on recyclables markets and the contract a city has for processing different items. 2) These are accepted in the City of Seattle curbside recycling program. 3) The first one you mentioned is #5 polypropylene, I believe, and can go into the Seattle curbside recycling bin. Any food-soiled paper containers that are not plastic-coated can go in the yard waste bin for composting. 4) Food-soiled paper towels and tissues can go in the yard waste bin. 5) Most plastic bags are made from high-density polyethylene (#2) or low-density polyethylene (#4), and most recyclables markets (companies that make stuff from recycled plastics) will take them mixed together. One common product made with recycled plastic bags is composite plastic lumber for decks (Trex or other brands), which I have in my own backyard. Because the #2 and #4 bags can be recycled and processed together, I think it's okay to include those types of bags you mentioned (as long as they are clean and dry) in a "bag of bags" and put them in with your Seattle curbside recycling, or take them to a grocery store plastic bag recycling bin. I beleive the city doesn't recommend that because they are afraid of confusing people, or getting dirty, smelly bags. But I personally think it's okay to put those different types in, and that's what I do. (Although I do throw away Ziplocs because I think the locking part might be a different type of plastic.) I'm really sorry that recycling, especially plastics recycling, is so confusing. We as governments are working to help make it simpler, but we need to do a better job. Tom Watson answered in Recycle/Re-Use about 1 year ago | Report 2 comments by Brett Stav and miabew… 0 0 For #5, the reason why plastic bags that had food in them (like produce bags, or bread bags) aren't allowed is that they can often develop mold and mildew from the crumbs and moisture, which ruins the plastic. Brett Stav commented about 1 year ago | Report 0 0 Thanks Tom! That was really helpful and thorough! I'll remember that about the #2 and #4 plastics and keep doing what I'm doing: if I can't re-use them, I turn them inside out and wash it out well. Thanks for all the input everyone! Wish we all didn't have to work so much as a society...we could stay home and bake our own bread or for others, sans plastic ;-) miabew commented about 1 year ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

  Share this answer with a friend:

• Reputation: 2397 Q&A: 49 0 8 1421 164 0 Classifieds: 0 0 what's this? Follow Following 1

  0 0 1. No 2. Yes 3. Recycle white, compost brown 4. Paper towels yes, tissue no 5. No Mahtli69 answered in Recycle/Re-Use about 1 year ago | Report 2 comments by miabew and Mahtli69… 0 0 Thanks. I should clarify on the plastic bag bundle. So, regular plastic grocery bags are okay? How about those thin produce food bags you would find at Madison Market, the ones that come in rolls you tear off. Also, food wrapped in a sturdy plastic bag (like a lot of the stuff found at Trader Joes). Ziploc bags? miabew commented about 1 year ago | Report 0 0 Grocery bags yes. Produce & Ziploc bags no. Check out these links: Recycling- http://www.seattle.gov/util/Services/Recycling/Recycle_at_Your_House/TopRecyclingQuestions/index.htm Composting- http://www.seattle.gov/util/Services/Yard/Yard_Waste_Collection/WhatsAccepted/index.htm I will also add that they change the rules occasionally. For example, aluminum foil used to be trash only, but now it can be recycled if it's clean. Mahtli69 commented about 1 year ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

  Share this answer with a friend: