What You Can And Can’t Recycle In El Paso

We got on this topic today because there were a lot of things Buzz didn't realize he couldn't do when it came to his recycle bin. If you want the full rules and list, you can go here. Here are the things he didn't realize were correct and wrong:

• Things that you CAN'T put in your recycle bin:
  • Styrofoam or packing peanuts
  • Glass, yes glass. If you need to recycle glass, you don't put it in your bin. You can take it to 1034 Pendale
  • Wax or plastic coated boxes. This came up because we were talking about pizza boxes being a no go for the recycle bin.
  • Someone mentioned you can't recycle napkins, but as far I can tell you can. But you aren't supposed to put in "soiled" paper or tissue.
  • Disposable dishware and utensils. Basically anything you use for a barbecue or picnic should not go in the recycle bin.
• Things that you CAN put in your recycle bin:
  • Newspaper
  • Junk mail
  • Frozen food boxes. This is where I"m confused by the pizza boxes thing. Because I thought most frozen food boxes were wax coated.
  • Aluminum foil
  • Shampoo bottles
  • Bubble wrap
  • Shrink wrap
  • Clear deli trays

And remember that when you put the cans out for pick up, you should have the garbage and the recycle bin at least 3 feet apart.

If you don't follow these instructions, you can have your recycle bin taken away. Here is the exact quote from the recycle page.

"Participation in the Curbside Recycling program is voluntary. If you do not recycle properly, you risk having the Environmental Services
Department repossess your blue bin and end your household’s participation in the program. Items placed in the blue containers must be recyclables and should not be mixed with non-recyclable household waste."

If you need to see the complete list of what to put in, what to not put in, and overall rules for recycling in El Paso, just check out the link above.