Tip #32: Can I bag my recyclables?
Plastic bags are not permitted in any of the recycling compactors. Plastic bags can get tangled in the gears at the materials recovery facility or can melt and cause the processing line to stop.
You may put recyclable paper into paper bags before tossing them into a paper compactor. Do not, however, put recyclables headed for the glass or plastic and metal compactors into paper bags.
This recycling tip is brought to you by the Transfer Station Committee.
Editor’s Note: To gain entry to Harvard’s Transfer Station and empty trash, residents must purchase an $80 sticker. The sticker entitles its holder to dispose of recyclable glass, paper, metal, plastic, textiles, and books at no charge. But residents must purchase specially marked bags to dispose of nonrecyclable materials. These are available at Westward Orchards, the Harvard General Store, Harvard Outdoor Power Equipment, Bolton Orchards in Bolton, and Shop ’n Save in Ayer. The Press publishes these weekly tips to help readers reduce the volume of their trash, while increasing the volume they recycle.
