When County Waste supplied us with a recycling bin, they also provided a very comprehensive list of items that CAN be recycled. We find we fill our regular bin about halfway every two weeks now.

I expect I may have received the same comprehensive list, but it did not address the questions I asked above. (If it did, I wonder if you can share the document.) Margaret answered many of them in or after her talk at the recent Sierra Club meeting, in addition to clarifying that--although China has been turning away our mixed "dirty" recycling--there are regional sources for much of the materials collected by County Waste (plastics 3-7 are difficult to recycle, as is glass). I was very grateful for Margaret's talk. My understanding now is that small plasticwear that may actually be recyclable, such as small caps and plastic cutlery fall through the sorting machines, so are lost to the effort. Caps are best left on compressed plastic containers. Ice cream containers--although I think they are recyclable in some communities--are not recyclable in Albemarle Co. They contain an extra layer that refrigerated items don't have. Coat hangers may tangle the sorting machines, so are best recycled either at Brown's Cleaners or Gerdau (which also buys aluminum and recycles larger metal objects). In my experience, AmVets takes worn-out clothes to recycle into fiber. I can't remember whether Margaret was the person who said that CLEAN pizza boxes can be recycled, but that ALL containers that are recycled should have the majority of food and grease removed before placing them in the bin. One of the valuable takeaways for me was that many people "wish-cycle," putting items in recycling bins that they think may be recyclable but that may not be--doing so then can ruin the good efforts of others as containers become contaminated by stuff that is not recyclable or machinery breaks down. Look for the recycling symbol or find other ways to recycle stuff.

I notice slot of sisters are ready to make the transition into agriculture. I wonder where the fella's minds are?

Chef Green same