Contamination

We know that it can be difficult to determine what materials are recyclable. All materials in the blue carts and recycling bins go to the Upper Valley Recycling Facility where the items are hand sorted and the non-recyclable items (contamination) and are separated from the recyclable materials. Only clean/dry recyclables can be sold to vendors who will turn them into a feedstock that can be used and made into other products.

Why Reducing Contamination Matters

Contaminants can have serious negative consequences for a recycling program. Here are just a few examples:

• Reduced recycling rates – Contamination can cause materials that would otherwise be recycled to be landfilled. For instance, bottles and cans can get lodged in film wrap or plastic bags and will end up landfilled instead of sorted.
• Lower material values – Contamination will lower the quality of the recyclables, which in turn makes them less valuable and may even make them unsellable.
• Damage to recycling machinery – Not all recycling machinery is equipped to take all types of material. Some items, like plastic film/bags, can jam up sorting equipment if it is put in the recycling container.
• Safety hazards for recycling workers –Medical waste like needles or electronic waste with heavy metals or chemicals can be a very dangerous the health of workers who are in direct contact with these broken items.