FAQ

Deciding to recycle items is just the first step. You also want to make sure the items are recycled correctly.

Click the link to find common recyclables and related recycling information from the EPA.

Check out this map! Click on your county and the registered recycling centers are listed. It also states what types of recyclables the center will take. The Oklahoma Department of State has another comprehensive list here.

Or click here for KOB’s Recycle Directory. Select “View larger version” at the bottom of the table and scroll sideways to see commodities that are accepted by each recycler in the state of Oklahoma. Thank you Keep Oklahoma Beautiful!!

Also take a look at this online community site where you can go and exchange items to reduce the waste going into landfills each year (free exchange) or www.recycle.net.

You can also check out 1800recycling.com to locate the nearest recycling center for various materials.

No! This has, for some reason, been a debate. The short version is that using already mined or harvested materials is cheaper and much more energy efficient than extracting virgin materials for production. Mining new materials is a process with a huge environmental cost, even if this cost has not been translated into dollars. However, these resources play an invaluable role in the balance of our ecosystems that must be protected. Not only that, but waste is kept out of landfills because of recycling. See here for more information on how recycling helps the environment.

Manufacturing materials from recycled feedstock not only saves valuable resources, but energy and water as well. For more information on expelling myths about recycling, see the National Recycling Coalition’s "Defending Recycling."

The Solid Waste Management Hierarchy puts Recycling third after Reduce and Reuse. The key is to reduce the amount of waste you produce (e.g. using a reusable shopping bag instead of getting disposable plastic bags every time you shop), then reuse materials when able (e.g. writing on both sides of the paper or using a reusable water bottle), and then recycle once every possible use for that item has been taken into account. For a more information on waste reduction, visit Keep Oklahoma Beautiful and get informed.

Take a look at these facts about recycling… they might astonish you!

• Recycling a four-foot stack of paper saves a tree.
• The U.S. EPA estimates that paper accounts for nearly 40% of waste in landfills.
• Nearly 3.7 million tons of copy paper are used annually in the United States alone. That’s over 700 trillion sheets.
• If every American recycled his or her newspaper just one day a week, we would save about 36 million trees a year.
• Recycled Paper Production uses 80% less water, 65% less energy, and produces 95% less air pollution than virgin paper production.
• When making cans, using recycled aluminum requires 96% less energy than manufacturing new aluminum from its virgin material, bauxite.
• Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours or a laptop computer for four hours — or the equivalent of a half a gallon of gasoline.
• An aluminum can that is thrown away will not begin to decompose until about 500 years from now!
• We use over 80,000,000,000 aluminum soda cans every year.
• The U.S. is the #1 trash-producing country in the world at 1,609 pounds per person per year. This means that 5% of the world’s people generate 40% of the world’s waste.
• Americans use 2,500,000 plastic bottles every hour! Most of them are thrown away!
• Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean kill as many as 1,000,000 sea creatures every year!

So the short answer is recycling is very important, but not as important as reducing and reusing first. Some materials can only be recycled once or twice before they are landfilled or incinerated, so the best route is to reduce consumption before it becomes waste.

The term “bottle bill” is actually another way of saying “container deposit law.” A container deposit law requires a minimum refundable deposit on beer, soft drink and other beverage containers in order to ensure a high rate of recycling or reuse. For more general information on bottle bills, visit www.bottlebill.org and www.container-recycling.org.

Oklahoma has considered container deposit legislation that would help to encourage recycling. View more information on this legislation.

For more information on America’s consumption of beverage bottles, see this PDF: www.container-recycling.org/assets/pdfs/GoodStuffWorldwatch%20Report-Beverages.pdf.

Close-the-Loop is the name of the recycling cycle – it does not end with tossing recyclable items into a bin. In order for recycling to be fully effective, new items need to be made out of the recycled materials and then bought by consumers. Purchasing items made with recycled content creates a demand for the items that are recycled at home, work, and school. This makes the recycling industry sustainable.

Cradle-to-Cradle refers to designing products to be easily recycled into new projects as opposed to Cradle-to-Grave design, in which products are disposed of after use.

While both keep material out of landfills, pre-consumer content is not typically considered recycled in the traditional sense because it was never technically used.

Pre-consumer is material that was discarded before it was ready for consumer use. Pre-consumer waste is the reintroduction of manufacturing scrap (such as trimmings from paper production, defective aluminum cans, etc.) back into the manufacturing process. Pre-consumer waste is commonly used in manufacturing industries.

Post-consumer is material discarded after someone uses it. Post-consumer waste has served its intended purpose, passed through the hands of a final consumer, and has been discarded for disposal or recovery.

A mail-back program offers collection and recycling/disposal of products by sending them via mail. Fees may be associated with mail-in program recycling, and it is best that you call or visit the website before sending in products. They may have special packaging requirements or instructions for you to follow.

Visit the Earth 911 website to learn more about mail-back programs for items you probably have around the house or office.

It all depends on where you are taking them to be recycled. What’s recyclable and not recyclable ultimately depends on each community’s infrastructure. Many recycling centers only accept the basics (plastics, paper, and aluminum), but check with your local recycling centers to see if they accept anything else.

Also check into mail-back programs to recycle uncommon items that your recycling center does not accept, like cell phones. (See also answer to “What is a mail-back program?”)

More information can be found on the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality website.

Or click here for KOB’s Recycle Directory. Select “View larger version” at the bottom of the table and scroll sideways to see commodities that are accepted by each recycler in the state of Oklahoma. Thank you Keep Oklahoma Beautiful!!

Also check out 1800recycling.com to locate the nearest recycling center for various materials.

See the information below about recycling hints specific to the source material.

PLASTICS

Plastic items are identified by the type of plastic out of which they are made (as noted by a triangular recycling symbol encompassing a number). To see what kinds of things are made out of the different plastics, check out this informative PDF.

The #1-7 symbols only mean that the product is POTENTIALLY recyclable. In Oklahoma, only #1 and #2 plastics are recyclable in some places. If your community accepts only #1 & #2 plastic then they should not accept yogurt containers, margarine tubs, clam shells, plastic cups, plates, or anything besides #1 & #2 plastic bottles or jars.

If your community only recycles #1&2 plastic, and you use a lot of #5 plastics (yogurt containers, etc.), then look into Preserve Products. They offer pickup at select Whole Foods locations for these plastics and recycle them into cool products, like toothbrushes or reusable food containers.

Do not mix biodegradable and/or compostable items in with regular plastic recycling materials (unless the item specifies otherwise) – it could contaminate the entire load, rendering it useless. When in doubt, throw it out—even a small amount of the wrong type of plastic can ruin a melt. Unfortunately, because of this, some plastic collected for recycling is actually landfilled.

Make sure to separate out lids and recycle those properly (many plastic bottle lids are made of a different kind of plastic and cannot be recycled with #1&2 plastics), and rinse food containers out to prevent odors, vectors and contamination.

For more information about plastic container types, recycling vendors and markets in Oklahoma, contact Michael Patton with the Metropolitan Environmental Trust in Tulsa () or Bryce Hulsey with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality ().

(See also answer to “What about Styrofoam (expanded/foamed polystyrene, or EPS)?” and, “What about plastic grocery bags?”)

GLASS

Though many recycling centers take glass, the market for glass cullet (ground glass) has slowed down due to the economy so a glass recycling facility is sometimes hard to locate. Check with your local recycling center to see if they will accept glass and what their specifications are – they may only accept a certain kind (colored, clear, sorted, etc.). Do not include whole or broken glass from windows, tableware, ceramics, and mirrors.

Make sure to separate out the metal lids and recycle those properly, and rinse food containers out to prevent odors and contamination.

For items like light bulbs, see Misc. section.

PAPER/ CARDBOARD

Ways to REDUCE and REUSE before recycling:

• Store and send documents electronically rather than printing hard copies.
• Use double-sided printing and copying.
• Use waste paper as scratch paper.
• Buy paper with high post-consumer recycled content.
• Buy products with minimal packaging and purchase in bulk.
• Opt out of phone book distributions.
• For more ideas, see this Natural Resources Defense Council article.

Some recycling centers only take certain kinds of paper (white office paper, for example) so check with your local recycling center to see what kinds they accept. The paper packaging in which office copy paper comes in is coated paper, and therefore not recyclable.

Cereal boxes and similar packages can often be mixed with paper. Staples are fine, because they will be sorted out during the recycling process and often recycled with other scrap metal.

“Cardboard” recycling refers to corrugated cardboard, which needs to be separated from regular paper products. If your local recycling center does not accept corrugated, you may be able to drop boxes off at a supermarket or other high volume business. Contaminated cardboard, like greasy pizza boxes, is not acceptable. In some areas cardboard must be free of tape, but staples are easily sorted out during the recycling process.

Paper materials that are not typically able to be recycled are:

• Stickers
• Napkins and tissues
• Waxed paper
• Milk cartons
• Carbon paper
• Coated paper, including many fast food wraps, some food bags, and drink boxes
• Neon paper
• Thermal fax paper
• Wet or food stained paper

ALUMINUM / FOOD CANS (Steel, etc.)

Cans that canned food comes in can be recycled for steel and/or tin content so many scrap metal dealers take them (call to check first). Normally, they should be rinsed clean to prevent odor, vectors and contamination, and any paper labels do not typically need to be removed, but check specific details with the recycling center.

Aluminum cans are usually the most commonly collected recyclable and they are infinitely recyclable, which saves energy and resources rather than producing cans out of freshly mined virgin materials.

Aluminum (non-ferrous) cans are collected and recycled separately from steel/tin (ferrous) cans.

Seek proper disposal for spray cans and other aerosols and paint containers (this is typically with Household Hazardous Waste, or HHW).

ELECTRONICS

Many electronic stores will take items and recycle them for you. Some places, like Best Buy, may give you a gift card in exchange for the item. For a list of these places in the Tulsa area, and ideas for where to ask around in your neighborhood, check out www.metrecycle.com/recycling/d/electronics/.

The Oklahoma DEQ has a list of drop-off locations and information about miscellaneous computer waste.

Computers, Monitors, Laptops, Netbooks, Notebooks, Tablets, Components:

1. Send household computers back to the manufacturer for free. All national manufacturers participate. From their take back website print a pre-paid shipping label, box up your items, stick the label on the box, and drop it off at UPS/FedEx.
2. Goodwill Industries has a contract with Dell and takes back computers and monitors for free (all brands).
3. Take it to a drop-off location.
   1. See information on mail-back programs.
   2. Check local recycling centers.
4. Take it to a retailer. Best Buy, Staples, Office Max, and Office Depot all have collection programs for a small fee. As a side note Best Buy sometimes reimburses recycling fees with gift cards.
5. Community Event – Please check with your local government to find out when the next free collection event will be held.
6. If it still runs, donate it to Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, or your local church.

For more information on recycling things like old VHS and cassette tapes, try these websites:

• http://earth911.com/news/2010/12/22/the-vhs-and-cassette-tape-recycling-dilemma/
• http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tech-transport/recycle-reuse-vhs-tapes.html
• http://www.begreenminded.com/2009/04/recycling-vhs-tapes/

**To learn how to wipe a hard drive before recycling or donating it, visit www.geeksquad.com/intelligence/blog/geek-squad-2mm-disposing-of-your-hard-drives/ or take it to Best Buy and they will do it for $9.99.

Traci Phillips with Natural Evolution is familiar with recycling computer and electronic plastics, so you might be interested in contacting her at .

To see the recycling process of electronics, watch this video: http://livestre.am/I0mM.

MISC. (Scrap Metal, Wood, Denim, etc.)

Things like scrap metal, rubber, wood, tires, shingles, yard waste, drywall, sheet rock, concrete, asphalt, gypsum, food grade oils/liquids, and other construction and demolition (C&D) debris are not typically taken at your local recycling center (although check first, because some do take things like tires and wood pallets). Look for specialty places to accept these items. Some locations in the Tulsa area include:

• Harley Hollan (east Tulsa)
  5677 S 107th East Ave
  Tulsa, OK 74146-6716
  (918) 317-7777
  www.harleyhollan.com
• American Waste Control (north of downtown Tulsa)
  1420 West 35th Street
  Tulsa, OK 74107-3814
  (918) 446-0023
  www.americanwastecontrol.com
• Chris Smithey
  Smithey Environmental Services, LLC.
  Sand Springs
  (918) 245-1070
  *protected email*
  www.smitheyenvironmental.com
• Choudhary M. Adeel
  Advance Group
  (918) 829-1431
  3118 S. 130th E. Place
  Tulsa, OK 74134
• Mike Coody
  *protected email*
  (405) 348-7021
• www.containerexchanger.com

Habitat for Humanity might also be interested in building materials still in decent condition. Contact your local Habitat for more information (www.habitat.org/cd/local/default.aspx).

Denim, including jeans with holes, and other cloth material can be taken to your local thrift shop, Goodwill or Salvation Army. Many, if not all, the thrift shops send items they cannot sell to rag or shoddy makers (shoddy can be made into furniture stuffing and all kinds of things) so that your used textiles will not go to waste, even if they have stains or holes. You may wish to check with your favorite thrift shop to make sure they do this.

Composite products may need to be disassembled in order for the components to be individually recycled. For example, in a car seat, you could recycle the metal with your local scrap metal dealer and fabric with Goodwill. If the seat contains any paper products, those can be recycled at your local recycling center.

Light Bulbs:

1. Cannot be recycled with container glass because they have a different composition.
2. See information on mail-back programs.
   1. For larger loads, check out Try Veolia Environmental Services’ RecyclePak at lamprecycling.veoliaes.com/home or Lamp Tracker’s Pallet-Load Recycling at www.wmlamptracker.com/v2/product_bulktracker.cfm.
3. Take them to a retailer. Lowe’s has a collection program for CFLs, and Home Depot will take any kind of fluorescent bulb.
4. Community Event – Please check with your local government to find out when the next free collection event will be held.

Miscellaneous:

You can also check the Resource Exchange for Eliminating Waste (RENEW) website,http://renewtx.net/, or the FreeCycle online community website, or www.recycle.net. Additionally, look into mail-back program information at earth911.com/recycling/mail-back-programs-recycling-from-home.

For information regarding discarded, unused, or leftover portions of household products containing corrosive, toxic, ignitable, or reactive ingredients, see section on Household Hazardous Waste (HHW).

Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is not readily recycled in Oklahoma. At this time, there are only one or two places in southern OK that have the $100K machine required to densify it for recycling. Only packaging foam is accepted (no food/beverage containers due to food contamination). One potential post-recycling product is insulation made from EPS pellets, but that is not being pursued in OK as far as we know.

EPS is messy stuff when it gets into the environment as it lasts indefinitely (even when broken into tiny pellets); it pollutes land and water and endangers wildlife. Furthermore, it’s made from a byproduct of the petroleum refining processes plus chemicals and water. It cannot be reused to hold food or beverage. Reduction is the best way to handle EPS in Oklahoma.

The best thing to do about Styrofoam is to not use it! The next best thing is to reuse it. Some places like retail shipping stores, like Mail Boxes Etc., may take packing EPS to reuse it.

Yes, but not in your typical local recycling center or curbside program. Plastic bags, wraps and films cannot be mixed with other #2 rigid plastics and must be recycled separately. This is mainly because films jam the machines used to bale and process rigid plastics, so films need to be collected and handled separately. Retail grocery stores usually take back disposable plastic grocery bags and may accept other plastic films as well. To see where you can take plastic films (grocery bags, dry-cleaning bags, film from bread and paper towel packaging, etc.), take a look at www.plasticbagrecycling.org/01.0/s01.1.php. To see what is typically acceptable, see www.plasticbagrecycling.org/plasticbag/s01_consumers.html.

Do not mix biodegradable and/or compostable films in with regular plastic recycling materials (unless the plastic film specifies otherwise) – it could contaminate the entire load, rendering it useless. When in doubt, throw it out.

Report stolen metal to the Oklahoma Recyclers Association via their"Submit a Theft Report" Form.

You can recycle up to three items per household per day at Best Buy. Follow this link to learn more.