dirty dozen12 A 40BY2020 PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM NEVER place these 12 ITEMS in a recycling bin or cart
NO Plastic Bags NO Non-recyclable 1 Plastic bags are a SERIOUS contaminant 7 Plastics and jam sorting machines at recycling Loose plastic lids, Styrofoam® and other facilities. Plastic bags with a #2 that are plastic may not be recyclable where you live. clean, dry and empty may be recycled at Check with your local recycling program. participating grocery stores. NO Caps/Lids on NO Plastic Bags with Glass Bottles or Jars 2 Recyclables Either 8 Metal lids can be removed and recycled loose Workers have to slow the conveyor belts to in the bin or cart. Throw away plastic lids and open bags that contain recyclables. These caps from glass bottles and jars. inefficiencies waste time and money. NO Shredded Paper NO Liquids or Food and Other Small Items 9 When bottles are compacted 3 for shipping, liquids drip and splatter, creating Shredded paper and other small items often a sticky, smelly mess. Empty and quickly rinse become litter before reaching the recycling all containers before recycling. center. Once there, they fall through the cracks of sorting machines, stick to belts and NO Non-recyclable contaminate properly sorted material. 10 Glass NO Scrap Metal Glassware, ceramics, Pyrex baking dishes, light bulbs, fluorescent lamps, window glass Scrap metal – such as steel, brass, iron 4 and mirrors cannot be recycled. These types and aluminum – cause excessive damage to of glass often are treated with chemicals and recycling equipment. Take scrap metal to a have different melting points than traditional scrap metal dealer or recycling center. container glass (e.g., bottles and jars). NO Hazardous NO Rope-like Items Household Materials 5 11 Water hoses, holiday lights, leather Paint, automotive fluids, household belts, etc., should not go in curbside bins or cleaners and similar materials must be carts. These items wrap around machines. disposed of properly. Check to see if your Holiday lights can be recycled at some scrap county has a collection program or offers metal dealers. single-day collection events. If not, follow the instructions on the label. NO Diapers or NO Flattened Bottles 12 Bio-Hazardous Waste 6 or Cans Syringes and needles, diapers and other Sorting equipment separates “flats” (paper) sanitary products ARE NOT recyclable and from “rounds” (containers). When containers pose a risk to workers. Visit www.scdhec. are flattened, the equipment mistakenly gov/HomeAndEnvironment/Recycling/ sends them to the paper side of the facility, DisposingofNeedles/ to learn how to contaminating the paper going to market. properly dispose of syringes and needles.
Please visit www.scdhec.gov/recycleheresc to see what is recycled where you live.
The 40by2020 Partnership is a group of public and private stakeholders dedicated to sharing knowledge, coordinating resources and working together to help South Carolina meet or exceed its 40 percent recycling goal set for 2020. Partnership members include PalmettoPride, Pratt Industries, Sonoco Recycling, the S.C. Beverage Association, the S.C. Department of Commerce and the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Printed on RECYCLED PAPER CR-011122A 7/17