Community Chat

[excpa]

This was our second week of single stream recycling pick-up.  The first was during a high wind alert and, today, we're still digging out from the big snow storm.  The first time they didn't empty one of my bins (don't really blame them, it was windy and COLD).  A lot of trash was blown into my yard, where it will stay until the final spring thaw.  Maybe in July.  This time they emptied all the bins and set them so that they gathered all the blowing snow.  This is much more difficult for me than bagging stuff and dragging it to the curb, from whence it vanished.  I had to buy the hard-sided containers, with tight fitting lids, drag these awkward and heavy containers to the curb and, once emptied, cart them back into the house, a little lighter but still awkward.   I seem to be spending an extraordinary amount of time (and money for the bins and decals).  I need to say that I am heavily into recycling, so my weekly garbage pick-up is much, much smaller than my twice a month recycle output.

Anyone else have any experience with single-stream vs sort your stuff?  Does it get any easier?  How much time (and energy) do you spend on it?

[sunshine45]

we have single stream recycling once a week.

we put it in 2 heavy blue recycling containers on wheels (that we purchased from lowes)  and they get emptied by workers into a recycling truck. they do throw them pretty much anywhere. if we get a lot of snow (which we didnt this year) then the containers MAY not get picked up. we can also put our recycling out in boxes or pretty much any container marked with an X. i know that some on our street use laundry bins.

[VanSleepy]

We've had it for years and I love it.  So much easier than having to separate the recycling, especially not having to tie up stacks of newspapers and carry each bundle to the curb.  We didn't have to purchase anything, though.  We were given huge wheeled bins from the township, and they pick it up every week.  (It was kind of hard pushing that thing in the ice and snow last night!)

[ChynnaBlue]

I live in an apartment with "concierge trash pickup," and the recycle takes everything I separate into a translucent blue recycle bag and leave outside my door at the appointed hour.

My parents have had curbside recycling for decades now and single stream for quite a few years now. It's easy and done exactly the same way as the regular trash. They put all the recycle items in a container the city provides (it's leased, like a TV cable box, so it's not cheap). The recycle container has wheels, just like their garbage container, so my parents fill it and wheel it to the curb. It gets emptied and then my parents wheel it back to the side of the house until the next week. 

[flickerbulb]

My city went to single stream recycling a couple of years ago. Each house received a huge, green covered can.

When it first started, I was home one day when they came to pick up the stuff. A fancy, new truck has a big arm on the side and no worker rides on the back of the truck.

The arm comes down, tips the bin upside down and dumps the recycling into the truck. Pretty cool! I wave to the driver if I am ever out there!

The bin is huge and has wheels and is hard to manuever. I take it out before I leave for work and I curse under my breath as I move it to the end of the driveway.

Sometimes it is tipped over, but they are pretty good about leaving it upright. In the end, I am still happy to recycle as much as I can.

[faeriemoon]

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@flickerbulb wrote:

My city went to single stream recycling a couple of years ago. Each house received a huge, green covered can.

When it first started, I was home one day when they came to pick up the stuff. A fancy, new truck has a big arm on the side and no worker rides on the back of the truck.

The arm comes down, tips the bin upside down and dumps the recycling into the truck. Pretty cool! I wave to the driver if I am ever out there!

The bin is huge and has wheels and is hard to manuever. I take it out before I leave for work and I curse under my breath as I move it to the end of the driveway.

Sometimes it is tipped over, but they are pretty good about leaving it upright. In the end, I am still happy to recycle as much as I can.

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Same drill here.

[PinkyPetunia]

We have to separate the recycling where I live. One week paper gets collected--newspaper, cardboard, junk mail, cereal boxes etc. The next week glass, plastic containers, plastic bags & styrofoam is picked up.

It's not a bad system except it's hard to store 2 weeks worth of stuff if a lot accumulates. 

[ValuSkr]

We have single-stream but not curbside pickup; we have to cart our recyclables to a central location where two large single-stream bins are located.  No problem with that.  The problem is with the thoughtless people who throw all manner of junk - not recyclable - in the bins.  Even good recyclables they put in non-recyclable plastic bags and toss in the bin.  We're told that the hauler who picks up out stuff sometimes rejects the whole load rather than sort the good and bad stuff.  It's a disaster.  I take my things to a neighboring town that has a very well-managed central recycling center.

[NickNack]

My trash collection service gives me a large bin for recycling and one for trash.  My recycling bin always has more stuff in it than my trash.  I roll the bin to the curb on recycling day and roll it back after it's been picked up.  I'm happy with the service and have never had a problem.

[Puzzle Piece]

I'd never heard about Single Stream Recycling.  We have bins where one is for acceptable recyled products, a bin for yard trimmings, and then a bin for trash.  I do my part and separate the items.  Hope it all makes a difference for the better.