Find out what's recyclable in your neighborhood

January 14, 2008|By JULIE E. GREENE

What kinds of plastic and paper do local governments accept in their recycling programs?

Hagerstown

Hagerstown's curbside recycling program accepts a variety of paper and some plastic. Acceptable paper products are newspapers, magazines, office paper, phone books, colored paper, catalogs, envelopes, computer paper, cardboard, mail, adhesive notes and folders.

Among the items the city will not accept are pesticide or hazardous chemical containers, medical waste containers, oil containers, food wrappers or waxed paper. The city will not accept plastic bags or materials set out in plastic bags.

The city will accept clear and colored plastic bottles that are empty.

To learn more about Hagerstown's recycling program, call 301-739-8577, ext. 106 or go to www.hagerstownmd.org/engineering/trashandrecycle.asp.

Washington County

Washington County accepts a variety of paper and some plastic material at its Forty West Sanitary Landfill and drop-off centers. The county accepts newspaper, junk mail, magazines, flat sheets of cardboard (18 inches by 18 inches), boxboard (i.e. broken down shoeboxes and cereal boxes) and phone books.

Number one and No. 2 plastics are accepted, which include water bottles, milk jugs, soda bottles and many detergent bottles.

To learn more about the county's recycling program, call 240-313-2796 or go to www.washco-md.net/public_works/solid_waste/solidw.htm#B

Martinsburg, W.Va.

The City of Martinsburg's curbside recycling program includes newspaper, but not plastic.

The city stopped picking up plastic several years ago because residents were putting out all kinds of plastic when the city only accepted certain plastics such as milk jugs and water bottles, said Betty Mason, secretary for the Public Works Department. For more information about the city's recycling program, call 304-264-2126.

Berkeley County, W.Va.

The Berkeley County Solid Waste Authority accepts a variety of paper at its drop-off sites and some plastics at two of the drop-off sites, said Clint Hogbin, chairman.

Number one and two plastics, such as milk jugs and water and soda bottles with narrow necks are accepted at the Grapevine Road and South Berkeley drop-off sites.

Also accepted are newspapers, magazines, cardboard, office paper, mixed paper, junk mail, phone books, hardback books without the covers and paperboard such as cereal boxes. Paper or cardboard that has a wax coating is not accepted. For more information about the Berkeley County Solid Waste Authority's recycling program, call 304-671-2925 or 304-267-9370 or go to www.berkeleycountycomm.org/recycling.htm.

Chambersburg, Pa.

Because Chambersburg has a population higher than 10,000 people, by state law the borough must provide curbside recycling for residents, said Bob Wagner, director of public works. Plastic is not picked up because it would take too much manpower to sort the plastics, Wagner said.

Chambersburg provides a drop-off facility at 342 W. Loudon St. for newspaper. Residents can call 717-264-5151 to request bundles of cardboard, office paper or computer paper be picked up for recycling, but they cannot be left at the drop-off facility.

Go to http://borough.chambersburg.pa.us/html/publicwork.asp.

|

|

|