Tip #34: Why do we replace lids on plastic, but not glass, bottles?
Plastic bottles: We replace lids on plastic bottles so the lids don’t fall through small openings at the material recovery facility (MRF) and become trash. We’ve been told that plastic containers move across a grid of 2-inch by 2-inch openings so anything smaller than that risks falling through. Put small plastic items inside a larger plastic item of the same number (for example, medicine bottles, the plastic pull tab from a milk jug).
Glass bottles: In Harvard, we take metal lids off glass jars because we separate metal from glass as required by MRFs in our area..
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 the Harvard General Store, Harvard Outdoor Power Equipment, Westward Orchards (June through December), Bolton Orchards in Bolton, Moore’s in Ayer, 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.
