Plastics Round-Up

On July 29th we will be running another Plastics Round-up at the Grange with volunteers accepting your numbers 2, 4, and 5 plastic containers and lids. Remember to have things appropriately sorted, cleaned and prepared, prior to arriving. We will also be collecting Pak Tech can holders.

Please allow time to have your collection carefully examined as the requirements are stringent. Leaving things without inspection is basically the same as dumping trash on our laps. Any materials not meeting specs will be dumped, at the expense of the volunteers who are providing this service. Our last round-up was fairly good quality but many yogurt containers partially cleaned, plastic/foil flaps left on rims, and labels left, resulted in extra work and a partial load of trash.

It’s best to clean containers after they have been used, removing labels and residue. Place into marked, closed bags and tuck it all away in a corner in your garage where it’ll be ready for the next Community Plastics Round-Up event.

To meet Lane County Recycling specs and expedite the process:

• Labels & adhesive removed (heat stamped labels are okay)
• Containers totally cleaned & dry – including soaps & lotions.
• Remove foil & plastic flaps – OK to cut off rims if you can’t get the plastic remnants off
• Collect similar numbered items together in separate bags
• #2 jugs: tie handles together
• If it’s not a bottle, tub, jug or lid, don’t bring it! Clamshell containers are NOT recyclable.

Other resources that do not require removing labels (though they need to be clean, dry and sorted):

• Glenwood Transfer Station or at rural dumpsites: #1 & #2 bottles and jugs larger than a tennis ball. Must be clean but can have labels, unlike the collection we do.
• Garten Services: #1 + #2 Jugs and bottles only. Labels OK.
  2345 West Broadway — Call and make appointment to drop off: 541-868-1550

We will also be providing a collection bin for PakTech Handles, the now-commonplace contraption for holding six pack aluminum cans together. These 6 pack handles are not accepted by Lane County plastics recycling program but are instead collected by PakTech, a Eugene-based company that manufactures these 100% Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) HDPE handles.

Articles on organizing community plastics collection events have also been published by KLCC and the Register Guard.