“If you take out a trash bin, you should also be taking out a recycling bin.”
Did you know that all businesses, restaurants, apartment buildings and condos in Media – as well as residents – are required by both state law and borough ordinance to recycle?
If there were a contest for recycling participation, Media residents would be the hands-down winners: over 70% participate in the Media Recycling Program, a remarkably high percentage. Good job, everyone! You are saving taxpayer money and reducing landfill waste and allowing for the reuse of resources through recycling. Recycling costs the borough about 34% less per ton than trash pick-up.
But we can do even better! Not everyone is aware of how many different materials can be recycled in our program. Take a look at the list:
Recyclable Items in Media Borough: (Rinse Out All Food Containers)
- Glass: Rinsed bottles, jars, food & beverage containers—remove lids & neck bands. Broken glass from these categories is OK.
- Metals: Rinsed bimetallic and aluminum cans—both food and beverage, metal jar lids, steel bottle caps, foil, foil containers
- Plastics: Rinsed rigid plastic containers with triangle symbols #1 through #7—EXCEPT for Styrofoam and plastic bags
- Paper: newspaper, magazines, catalogs, regular & junk mail, paperback books, hardback books with cover & binding removed), phone books, bags, food boxes, office paper, file folders, empty paper coffee cups
- Shredded paper: in a clear plastic bags, next to your recycling bin
- Cardboard: corrugated & non-corrugated, including–clean portions of pizza boxes, rinsed milk cartons, paper towel & toilet paper rolls, dry food cartons, cardboard beverage carriers, paperboard boxes, etc.
- Aseptic packaging/Tetrapak: Rinsed juice boxes, etc.
Please DO NOT Put in the Bin:
- Bags, food wrap, any plastic without a triangle, toys, straws, plastic flatware (including “compostable” flatware), VHS/VCR tapes, cds, dvds, Styrofoam food containers
- Sheets of stickers or address labels, waxed paper, heavy waxed cardboard, disposable diapers, soiled paper towels or tissue paper
- Organic material, food waste, liquids
- Scrap metal, hangers, cooking pots & pans, syringes/needles, household appliances
- E-waste: including computers, tv’s, electronic equipment, phones
- Hazardous waste: including paint, pesticides, motor oil, antifreeze & cleansers and their containers , batteries
- Textiles, fabric, or clothing
- Glass and Ceramic Products: ceramics, chinaware porcelain or Pyrex dishware, glassware, window glass, mirrors, light bulbs
- Other: No strings or ribbons
For these and other hard-to-recycle items, go to https://search.earth911.com/
Many residents find that when they recycle all the items on the list, their recycling bin is as full as their trash bin – and they often need to use a second recycling bin (no problem, you can pick one up at the Borough offices for $5.00).
How else can we expand recycling in Media?
Why not 80%, 90% or even 100% residential participation? The answer lies in apartment recycling. Many people who live in apartment buildings of 4 or fewer units do not realize they can participate in the borough Recycling Program. Just come to Borough Hall to pick up a green bin, and then visit the borough website for the recycling schedule.
Owners of apartments of 5 or more units must provide recycling services to their tenants. If you live in such an apartment building and your landlord does not provide recycling service, please request it, or notify the Borough. Click Here for more information on how to recycle in Media, or call 610-566-5210, ext. 239.
How about restaurants, stores and office buildings?
Yes, they too are required by law to recycle – and their customers expect them to, as well! Some do an exemplary job, but overall, Media businesses do not have the same high recycling rate as residents. Next time you stop by a Media office or your favorite shopping or eating place, ask them about their recycling system.
For more Recycling Program information, go to: http://www.mediaborough.com/publicworks/recycling-and-waste.
