Answering Your Recycling Questions
Recycling can be confusing. So, last week we had an informal Waste & Recycling Q&A on Instagram. We got some great questions and wanted to share them here on the blog!
Our residential contamination rate is sitting around 17% which is much better than average. There are some municipalities around the country that have a contamination rate around 40% so we’re doing really well. But we’d like to get our contamination rate around 10% or lower in the new year. We need your help!
Have more questions? Let us know! Feel free to send us a message on social media, email slcgreen@slcgov.com or call (801) 535-6470. You can also learn more about specialty recycling programs and resources here.
Here are some of your questions! (View on Instagram here.)
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slcGreen Blog 
These answers are helpful, really helpful. Backing up to what kind of plastic is recyclable, what numbers are and what numbers are not? Some of my take-home restaurant food has “paper” bottoms that I assume are recyclable if clean, but #5 plastic tops/covers. Are these recyclable?
In Salt Lake City, #1 through #5 are accepted! Think hard sided plastics. We don’t accept soft (filmy, stretchy) plastics. As for the take-home container, if that paper bottom is waxy or plastic, unfortunately it needs to go in the trash. Compostable to-go containers are not accepted in the recycle or compost containers. We do our best to update our website as things change and new technology becomes available: https://www.slc.gov/sustainability/waste-management/curbside/recycling-can/
And, a note: we are currently not able to divert #3, #6 (such as Solo cups), and #7 plastics; however, at this time, we are still continuing to accept containers numbered #3, #6, and #7 as we look for viable opportunities to divert this relatively small volume of material of our recycling stream.
No milk cartons??
Unfortunately, no cartons of any kind (like gable top milk and juice cartons or aseptic shelf-stable cartons). Most are lined with plastic, or foil and plastic. Recyclable products are those which are made of a single material, unlike these which are mixed materials.
Some people are saying that the plastic doesn’t actually get recycled. It’s all a scam. Is that true? How can we be sure the material they pick up is getting recycled?
Robert Markham
In Salt Lake City our recycling services are great, but it’s true that as a nation it can be a patch-work service (since recycling policies and services are set at local levels as there’s no federal policy). Since recycling is a market-based international industry, item acceptance does shift from time to time as market trends change. However, items like milk jugs, laundry detergent bottles, and aluminum cans are the most economic to recycle so are accepted in most recycling programs. Salt Lake City has also worked with our contractors to secure recycling outlets for other plastics (like yogurt containers – #5) as well as cardboard, paper, and the other material on our “Accepted List” (https://www.slc.gov/sustainability/waste-management/curbside/recycling-can/). In fact, if you see an item listed on our “Accepted List”, it is being recycled in Salt Lake City’s program. It’s important to help prevent contamination in the recycling stream — either by not putting garbage or other unaccepted items into your blue can, or by removing significant food residue. This ensures your items — and others’ — can be recycled. Recycling is not a “scam” — it’s an important part of the waste stream, but it takes everyone to make it a success: producers, consumers, recycling companies, end users, and governments.
If you’re a savage and don’t carry a reusable straw, or for some other reason are responsible for post-use plastic straw processing, are straws recyclable?
Unfortunately no, straws are not recyclable.
Where can old fire extinguishers go?
Old fire extinguishers go to the County’s Household Hazardous Waste. Here is their website: https://slco.org/health/household-hazardous-waste/