The City of Howard has plans to restart their city-wide recycling program next week.

 

The original Elk County Recycling program was discontinued after issues with unacceptable items were being placed in the recycling containers. City officials along with those from Elk County hope that clarifying the rules on what items will be acceptable will help keep the new program on the right track. The new program will accept clean #1 and #2 plastics as well as paper, newspapers, magazines, and office paper. Corrugated cardboard must be clean and flattened. Aluminum and tin cans are also accepted along with clear, green, and brown glass.

 

There are several different categories of plastic recycling. In Elk County, only clean #1 and #2 plastics are accepted. Residents are advised to check the bottom of containers for a small triangle with the number 1 or 2 inside. This includes clear plastics such as water and soda bottles, colored plastics like detergent bottles, and milk cartons. Some plastic containers are not recyclable in Elk County, so it is important to confirm the presence of the appropriate number.

Bottles should be emptied directly into the recycling bin, rather than placed in plastic bags. Non-recyclable items can contaminate entire loads of recyclables. When recyclables are left in plastic bags, they may not make it through the recycling process. Similarly, recyclable materials placed in garbage containers are transported to landfills and cannot be recovered, contributing to roadside litter and filling local landfills. This can also lead to increased garbage collection and landfill costs.

 

Elk County also recycles paper, newspapers, magazines, and office paper. However, empty cement bags or paper contaminated with paint, grease, or soda are not accepted. Improper recycling can contaminate entire batches, rendering them unsuitable for processing and resulting in their disposal in landfills.

 

Corrugated cardboard is recyclable if flattened to conserve space. It must be clean and free of paint, grease, and sticky substances. Since pizza boxes are often stained with grease, they should generally not be recycled. Food and liquids must be kept out of recycling materials. Paperboard items such as paper towel rolls or tissue boxes are not recyclable in Elk County.

 

Aluminum and tin cans are accepted, as well as clear, green, and brown glass. However, aluminum foil, mirrors, lightbulbs, and windows are not recyclable in the county.

 

The recycling program in Howard will begin on July 25.