RENO, NV (KOLO) In this cavernous and cacophonous building trash is gathered from all over Northern Nevada.
This more than 12 foot high pile of trash is just a small portion of the potentially recycled materials people have placed in those blue lid containers.
The trash is placed on conveyor belts and will travel to different parts of the building depending upon what kind of trash it is.
Workers pull out definite Nos–plastic bags, trash can liners.
This time of year, there may be old Christmas lights, and cable chains.
“All of our equipment rotates and anything that we refer to as “wrapable,” say Mickey Eckman with Waste Management. She continues, “Which is plastic film, plastic bags, chains, electrical cords Christmas lights will actually wrap around our equipment and cause damage and jams:”
The rotating wheels help separate the trash even more.
Heavier items drop below, while things like cardboard, paper, and tin move to be sorted again.
Broken glass makes its way to the warehouse floor.
The glass will go to the landfill to cover garbage to keep the fly populations and vermin down and wildlife at bay.
Plastic is sorted by number.
It and other items head to Sacramento for further processing. The cardboard is packed and shipped out of the country.
With the images in mind, it may be easier to understand what needs to go into the regular trash after Thanksgiving as opposed to the recycle bin.
“After the holiday there is additional material coming through and additional contamination,” says Eckman.
Eckman says items stained with food or other solid or liquid material cannot be recycled.
That includes:
Paper towels, napkins, and table cloths
Paper and Plastic plates
Disposable forks, knives, and spoons
Broken dishes
Foam packaging
Here are common items that can be recycled:
Aluminum foil
Cleaned disposable cookware, pie and roasting pans.
clam shells
bottles
and beverages containers–be sure to keep the lids on.
Keep in mind if your garbage pickup date happens on Thanksgiving or the day after Thanksgiving, crews will be there to pick up your regular garbage, and depending upon your recycle day—your recycle bin as well.
