Frequently Asked Questions

Commingled Recycling

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Have questions about how it works? Look at these FAQs.

  1. Are biodegradable plastic bags a good idea?

  1. This product is likely to be at a store near you or you may have a grocery bag or food container made with this non-petroleum, biodegradable polymer in your home now. The bag or one-time use containers look and feel just like the plastic you have used for years but unlike its counterpart, it is made from a renewable resource. This "environmentally green" plastic is made from starches derived most often from corn, potatoes, wheat or sugarcane. These products are often stamped with the letters PLA which stands for POLYLACTIC or #7 (other plastic). This all sounds like very good news for the environment! Unfortunately, there is another side to this story. Products made to biodegrade should not be part of the recycling waste stream. These two very different plastics have to go in different directions for disposal. After all, a plastic bag can be made into great decking material because of its durability, but a PLA bag designed to degrade isn't so good for making new products if you want a quality, long-lasting product! Because these two types of plastics are indistinguishable from one another, it is very easy for the PLA plastic to end up with recyclables when it is actually a contaminate. Nor will the PLA food container compost easily with the vegetable scraps in your back yard because the polymer requires high heat to break it down. Commercial composting facilities cannot take on the labor intensive job of inspecting each and every bag and container looking for the proper identification to add to their valuable commodity. Efficiency and pure product is essential. These new types of plastics will have their day, but the transition from one to the other will be down the road.
    Want to know more? Copy this URL into your brower: http://www.science.org.au/nova/061/061print.htm

  1. What about junk and bulky items?

  1. We offer junk and bulk removal service with our Re-Moving Van. The service is available to non-customers. For more information, click on the Junk/Bulk tab at the top of the page.

  1. Why can't I put glass in my recycling cart?

  1. Because glass breaks, it could contaminate the other recyclables. If you're a residential customer, put clean glass of any color in the blue box. If you're a commercial customer, place the clean glass in its own roll cart.

  1. May I really put everything besides glass in one container?

  1. Yes - except motor oil, which needs to be poured into a container with a lid and labeled. Place the motor oil next to the blue box. Everything else gets mixed together - commingled - in your big commingle container. Please remember to put your glass in the blue box, avoid contaminating the load with clothing, plastic bags or Styrofoam-like material, and clean everything to be recycled.

  1. What about the possibility of contamination when everything is commingled?

  1. Contamination rates do go up slightly when recyclables are commingled. But the good news is that more people recycle when commingling is offered. We'll continue to provide reminders in our newsletter about keeping possible contaminants out of the commingling.

  1. What happens to my commingle recycling after it is picked up?

  1. Commercial and residential recycling goes to a facility in Portland that was built especially for high-volume processing of commingle recycling.

  1. Where should I store that big commingle cart?

  1. It can go inside or out, as long as the lid is kept closed. Perhaps you have room in your garage, outside next to your yard debris can (if you're in Eugene) or in the back yard. The size of the cart makes it possible to increase recycling while decreasing the need for an additional landfill.

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