Ready To Recycle 8.12.2007 | 1 Comment(s)

In my efforts to be a more "green" (I prefer "verde"!) city resident, I'm jumping onto the recycling bandwagon...something I should have done a long time ago. That said, I think I'm making things too difficult. Taking the advice Tina gave me in my previous post, I've collected my paper bags and am ready to get started.

But today I was double checking some things on the city's recycling site, and I got confused. Do the paper bags get recylced as Comingled Papers or as CORRUGATED CARDBOARD, CHIPBOARD/PAPERBOARD, CARRIER STOCK.

The only reason I ask is this, from the city's site:

From the Comingled Papers section:
Junk Mail/Mixed Office Paper:
# It is not necessary to remove regular paper clips or staples. office paperDO include colored or copier paper, envelopes (including plastic windows), folders (without metal or plastic), gift or holiday wrapping paper (no foil-type), packing paper, printer or school paper, stationery, white paper, junk mail.

# DO NOT include binders; binder clips; carbon paper; construction paper; decorations, such as bows, ribbons, string, twine, etc.; egg cartons; food contaminated materials; food wrappers; hardback/paperback books; non-Kraft-paper shopping bags or bags with handles; notebooks; plastic coated, laminated, or lined paper; plastic sheet protectors; rubber bands; facial, sanitary, or toilet tissue products; spiral notebooks; thermal or treated fax paper; tissue paper.

From the Cardboard section:
# Corrugated Cardboard cardboard box

DO include brown/Kraft paper (e.g., bags, sheets, wrapping, etc.).
# DO NOT include cardboard cans (such as fiber drums), food contaminated materials (such as pizza boxes), or non-Kraft-paper shopping bags or bags with handles.

So I'm not sure which category the shopping bags fall in to. Am I making this too difficult?

By  Jim, at 3:39 PM

Paper grocery bags are made from Kraft paper. As long as those bags are clean and don't have handles, then you can recycle them with the cardboard.