It’s a simple fact of life that garbage cans smell bad. And if you think about it, how could they not? With all of the food, liquid, yard waste and diapers that get thrown away every day, your nose is bound to take notice. Recycling containers, however, are a different story. Since none of those items should ever be placed in your recycling container, and everything that is placed in it should be empty, clean and dry, there should never be an odor emanating from your container.
So, at Republic Services, we recommend using the “smell test.” If your container smells bad, it’s contaminated. The best thing to do is remove all of the recyclables, wash it out, and let it dry completely before adding back empty, clean and dry items that are approved for curbside recycling: paper, cardboard, metal cans and plastic bottles and jugs. Not only will the environment thank you, your nose will too.