Many products are made out of a combination of materials, and although that’s good for some things, it isn’t good for recycling. In fact, one common reason items can’t be recycled is because they are “mixed” materials. In order for the recycling process to work effectively and affordably, items need to be separated at home so they can be properly sorted at the facility.
This means if a product contains two recyclable materials, like a paper label inside of a plastic container, you need to remove the label and then recycle both items individually. Similarly, if the mixed material items have only one recyclable material, like a window envelope, you’ll need to separate the plastic portion and throw it away before recycling the paper.
At Republic Services® we try to make the recycling process as convenient as possible by allowing residents to put all recyclable materials into one container. You can help us help you by not putting mixed materials in your recycling container. Remember: when in doubt, throw it out!