Keep 'Em Empty Clean and Dry!
Before tossing something into the recycling bin, make sure to follow the "Empty, Clean and Dry" method. Here is what at entails:

• Empty
• Is the item your about to recycle empty? When you put a recyclable item that still contains food or liquid, it is considered not recyclable and can contaminate the entire recycling bin!
• Clean
• If your empty recyclable (such as a jar, can or plastic container) has some residue on it from what it was holding, you need to give them a quick rinse. It doesn't need to be perfect, but the majority of the residue needs to be removed before it can be recyclable. This helps prevent contamination in your recycling bin and increases the value of the materials.
• Dry
• After you have cleaned your recyclables, leave them to air dry before putting them in your recycle bin. Also, be sure to close the lid (if it has one) to your recycling bin to keep all your recyclables dry in case of rain. This is important because if your paper or cardboard gets soaking wet, it will not be able to be recycled and gets sent to the landfill.

By following this simple method of recycling you are helping ensure your recyclables actually get recycled and don't end up in a landfill due to contamination!

If you're curious about what happens to your recyclables after they are picked up, check out our Recyling Process Page!

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