How to recycle responsibly in Chippewa County
Recycling can be daunting, but it’s important.
At the Chippewa County Recycling Center, various materials are accepted but residents should be reminded of what materials they can/cannot recycle, as well as how to prep the recyclables.
According to the Student Conservation Association, when recyclables are recycled, materials and natural resources aren’t wasted, energy is saved during the manufacturing process, there is less waste going to landfills and it helps keep wildlife safe. Recycling also helps create well-paying jobs. A study in 2016 found that recycling and reuse activities in the United States accounted for over 750,000 jobs.
“Recycling is both essential for the health of the environment and the health of individuals,” said Joel Krupa, who is the executive director of Northern Transitions, Inc.
The holiday season is the most wasteful time of year. The majority of wrapping paper cannot be recycled due to the coating on the paper, which is often shiny and laminated. Cardboard boxes are also popular, which can be recycled most of the time. The Chippewa County Recycling Center provides some guidelines to those who wish to recycle.
First, all items must be clean. Rinse and clean bottles, jars, cans and aluminum foil products as well as breaking down all corrugated cardboard boxes.
The Recycling Center drop off hours are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturdays.
Items that are accepted:
- Glass bottles and jars of all colors
- Aluminum and steel, such as cans, aerosol cans, aluminum foil and scrap metal
- Plastic bottles #1 and #2 of all colors. Rinse and clean bottles and throw away caps.
- In addition to #1 and #2 plastics, the recycling center is now accepting #3 through #7 plastic bottles/containers only. Note that this is a temporary pilot program. These items will be recycled as long as the plastics commodities market conditions permit.
- Corrugated cardboard, which is cardboard with wavy layers between flat layers. Cut and flatten all cardboard boxes. Remove all packaging materials from boxes.
- Box board, including cereal boxes, shoe boxes, tissue boxes, etc.
- Paper: office, household, carbonless, envelopes, etc.
- Newspapers and glossy magazines such as newspapers, magazines including gloss and semi-gloss, advertising inserts and phone books.
The Chippewa County Recycling Center provides some do’s and don’ts of recycling:
- Clean and crush water and milk bottles. Do not recycle bottle caps.
- Break down cardboard boxes. No greasy or dirty cardboard, such as pizza boxes. If the top of the pizza box is clean, rip it off and throw away the greasy bottom. Remove all pizza before recycling.
- Don't dump loose shredded paper in drop site doors. Leave shredded paper in bags.
- Take needles to the pharmacy or hospital in a safe sharps container. No hypodermic needles in recycling or trash.
The recycling center does not take styrofoam, vinyl siding, PVC plastic, medical waste, wax-coated boxes or containers, garbage, office wastebasket material, drugs, dishes or ceramic items, window glass or single-use paper cups.
Krupa said, “Recycling is important to so many positive outcomes, and it depends on all of us doing our part. Doing our part includes the very important first step of making sure items that we put into the recycling bin are clean and free of contaminants. This includes rinsing or washing out containers and bottles and not placing in the recycling bin items that are not recyclable, such as the greasy or soiled parts of pizza boxes. Placing unclean containers, such as partially empty beverage or ketchup bottles, in the recycling bin can oftentimes leak and contaminate what would otherwise be recyclable material.”
The following will be accepted only during hazardous waste events and fees will be charged at household hazardous waste collections:
- Electronics and televisions
- Fluorescent light bulbs
- Motor oil
- Dry cell batteries
- Oil-based paint and stains
Many of the items that the recycling center cannot accept or take only in specific hazardous waste collections are more conveniently accepted elsewhere at little or no cost.
For motor oil/car batteries, many local auto parts retailers and auto repair facilities will take used motors, not mixed with gas, and car batteries. Such facilities include AutoZone, Advanced Auto and Walmart.
Appliances, paints and other building materials in usable condition are accepted by Northstar Habitat for Humanity. Residents should also visit Cloverland Electric’s recycling page http://cloverland.com/recycling/ for information regarding appliance recycling and assistance with energy Star purchases. Compact Fluorescent Lights are taken by Cloverland Electric. It also offers suggestions regarding extending the life of your bulbs on its recycling page.
As far as computers go, Goodwill accepts working computers and any computer-related devices.
You can also check the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website for suggestions on items not covered at www.epa.gov/recycle.
Many of the instructions and suggestions provided are based on the fact that materials are hand-sorted at Chippewa County Recycling. That allows us to employ more persons with disabilities and other barriers to employment, and to be more flexible in the way we accept materials than more mechanized recycling services.
Northern Transitions Inc.'s Chippewa County Recycling program faces the same problems with reduced commodity prices and increased handling costs as the programs across the country. Down the road, some changes are inevitable, but the public can help by following the rules, requests and suggestions provided at the drop sites, and on its website and Facebook page.
“We want to thank the people of Chippewa County for supporting recycling and would like to encourage individuals to visit our web site at www.northerntransitions.org and click on the recycling tab to view or download the latest recycling guidelines and information,” said Krupa.
For those who have questions, call (906) 632-0525 or email email@example.com. Chippewa County Recycling is operated by Northern Transitions, Inc., and is a mission-based community recycling program that balances the environmental, fiscal, and social needs of the community.