Single stream recycling enables you to recycle more items and do it in less time! That’s right. You can now throw an extended list of items into one bin, your carrier will haul it away and it will all get sorted by a machine. My personal preference is to separate the paper from the rest, for storage purposes, but you don’t even need to do that.
If your recycling level is not growing to the point that you have to increase the space and bins you need to do it, then you are not recycling as much as you can. While this is an adjustment, it is quite minor and can simply be fixed by securing an additional blue bin or obtaining a larger recycling container. If you do opt for an alternative type of bin, than what you have been using in the past, it’s a good idea to verify with your hauler that they recognize it and that it will work for them.
Here’s a link to a list of all the items that you can recycle with your private hauler. I suggest you print this out and refer to it until it all becomes second nature. To see if single stream is in your town, scroll down to the list at the bottom of this page.
Remember single stream is not only easier for you, every ton of disposables that your town recycles is a ton your town does not have to pay for to dispose as trash. Most importantly, single stream reduces the amount of waste we send to our landfills. Let’s keep our earth beautiful!
Wendy Martinenas is a Certified Green Realtor with Ten Years of Local Experience with William Raveis Real Estate in Fairfield County, CT
