City Campaign Looks To Make Recycling More Efficient
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia has been collecting household recycling for almost 30 years, but it still finds residents trying to recycle things that should be put in the trash.
The city says they are trying to clear things up but its education campaign sometimes makes things murkier.
The city tried a snappy video tweet to get the point across. Problem is it starts out with the caption-- You can recycle greasy pizza boxes... before slapping a WRONG caption over it.
Anyone who scrolled through too quickly might miss the "Wrong." Lau says the city may try a more straightforward approach but she's glad the video got noticed and thinks most people got the point.
The city also has a $70,000 dollar campaign on to stop plastic bags from showing up in recycling bins,with big signs on public transit saying ZERO.
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The "O" is changed to the international no symbol with a plastic bag inside. Next to the zero are two phrases-- "recycling in plastic bags" and "plastic bags in the recycling bins."
Again, if a resident doesn't connect the zero with the phrases, they could get a message that is the opposite of what the city wants. Streets department officials think that's unlikely.
Lau emphasized that it's important to continue reminding residents about proper recycling.
"People are busy and they have a lot of messages they need to take in throughout the day," she said. "It's just a byproduct of our busy world. So the recycling office and the streets department have always tried to do education and outreach over and over because we think residents need reminding."
Below is what Philadelphia residents can and cannot recycle:
What You CAN Recycle
PLASTICS:
Emptied and rinsed - caps are OK
All Food and Beverage Containers
Hard Plastic Takeout Containers
Plastic Cold Drink Cups and Lids
Detergent and Shampoo Bottles
Pump and Spray Bottles
Plastic Pails, Buckets, Garden Pots
PAPER:
Newspapers and Inserts
Magazines, Brochures, and Catalogs
Junk Mail, Envelopes, Writing Paper
Scrap Paper
Paper Bags
Phone Books
Paperback Books
Greeting Cards, Gift Wrap (non-metallic)
CARTONS:
Emptied and rinsed
Milk
Juice
Ice Cream
Wine
Soups
METALS:
Emptied and rinsed
Aluminum, Steel, and Tin Cans
Empty Paint Cans
Empty Aerosol Cans
Metal Trays and Baking Dishes
Jar Lids and Bottle Caps
Clean Aluminum Foil
GLASS:
Emptied and rinsed - caps are OK
All Bottles and Jars
CARDBOARD:
Flattened and free of grease and food
Corrugated Cardboard Shipping Boxes
Clean Pizza Boxes
Paper Towel Rolls
Egg Cartons
Dry Food Boxes
What to Keep OUT of the Bin
Plastic Bags
Styrofoam™ Food/Beverage Containers and Shipping/Packing Material
Food Waste
Wet or Food-Soiled Paper
Waxed Paper Plates, Cups, and Takeout Containers
Greasy Pizza Boxes
Tissues, Paper Towels, and Napkins
Light Bulbs
Porcelain and Non-Container Glass
Cassette Tapes (VHS and audio)
Garden Hoses
Needles and Syringes
Electronics
Recycling Reminder…NO Plastic Bags!
The list of what you can and can't recycle is also on the city's website.
