Montclair Officials Issue Reminder: How To ‘Recycle Right’

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of Montclair Township. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.

In the Township of Montclair’s ongoing efforts to improve your recycling program, residents are reminded to only place designated recyclables in your recycling containers for curbside collection.

As a first reminder: in Montclair we collect two separate categories, or “streams,” of household recyclables.

Note! Pizza boxes = garbage

Mixed Paper, including newspapers, magazines, junk mail, office paper, boxes, cardboard, and most other clean dry paper, and,

Commingled, including metal cans, glass bottles and jars, and plastic bottles, jugs, and food containers.

#5 Plastics are recycled

In the past we had to limit our accepted plastics to only those marked #1 or #2 (found in the recycling logo on the bottom of all plastic food and beverage containers); virtually all plastic bottles and jugs are marked #1 or #2.

We now also include #5 plastics – typically found in some yogurt cups and some take-out and other food containers – in our list of accepted commingled recyclables.

What to do with milk and juice cartons

In addition, poly-laminated paper beverage containers (like milk or juice cartons), and aseptic packaging containers (like the small juice and drink boxes popular with school kids and also used for some liquid foods), should be added to the Commingled mix (not into mixed paper); please empty and flatten them and discard the caps and straws.

Recycle right!

Economic turbulence in the recycling industry worldwide means that all towns must ensure that there is little or no contamination of the recycling stream – so that the value is preserved, and the materials can be recycled – while reinforcing our efforts to promote participation by all residents in our source-separated recycling programs.

Only place proper recyclables in your recycling bin. Never include plastic bags (some supermarkets accept them). “When in doubt, throw it out!”

Residents can find recycling info on our website, by calling Community Services (973-509-5711), or, Environmental Affairs (973-509-5721).

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