1. What plastic can I recycle?
Numbers 1-7,  This includes Keurig containers, applesauce and yogurt containers, Solo cups
NO plastic bags or soft plastic wrap that comes on can/bottled water, or styrofoam

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2. Does it need to be clean? What is considered clean?
YES! Anything that has had food or liquid in it should be rinsed out so there is no debris left in it

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3. If my plastics aren’t completely clean how does that affect the process?
Anything that is not clean is considered to be contaminated material. Recycling products get bundled and shipped to places that use it. Some places have washing stations that they can wash products but most places don’t. If the bundles are too contaminated then the 2nd party can’t use it and it will be sent back to the provider. Which then it ends up in the landfill.

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4. Do you need to remove the paper labels off of tin cans? glass jars?

No you do not need to remove labels. Since it is considered single stream that most facilities accept there is no need to remove labels and place them in a separate container.

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5. What about the caps on bottles?
This also varies from company to company, but with Badgerland people can keep the caps on bottles at home.

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6. Can you recycle plastic laundry baskets and plastic hampers?

Yes the laundry baskets and hampers can be recycled

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7. Can you recycle Solo cups and keurig pods?

Yes you can but Keurig pods need to be rinsed out and all debris needs to be removed.

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8. Can you recycle plastic tape dispensers? 

No the plastic tape dispensers are not recyclable. They need to go to landfill. 

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9. What about the lids for plastic containers and glass jars? Do they need to be removed?
This also varies from company to company, but with Badgerland people can keep the caps on bottles at home.

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10. Can paint or marker be on paper and it still be recyclable? What about watercolor? Or is it all painted paper?
Marker and watercolor can be on paper but regular paint cannot. If it has acyrlic, laxtex, oil, tempra on it should be put in the garbage.

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11. Can you recycle stickers and the paper they come on?

No the stickers and paper are not considered a recyclable due to the waxiness of the paper and the sticky stuff on stickers.

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12. Can you recycle envelopes with the plastic windows? Do they need to be separated?

Yes envelopes with windows can be recycled BUT the plastic window part should be removed and thrown into the garbage.

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13. Can you recycle packaging that toys and products come in, with the cardboard and plastic.

The cardboard can be recycled but the plastic film is garbage.

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14. Can you recycle the foam plastic #6 like foam egg cartons and foam trays?

No the foam type cartons and trays are not recyclable. That is a special form of recycling that most places do not offer or have the means to recycle.

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15. What sort of cartons are recyclable? (milk cartons, tetrapak)
Any type of carton that has a recycle symbol on it with the numbers 1-7.  Cartons for Soymilk, broth, ect are not recyclable, please throw them in the trash. You can recycle the plastic lids though.

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16. What about the foil on top of yogurt and applesauce?
That is also recyclable but needs to be clean.

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17. What about the regular aluminum foil?
Yes you can but it needs to be clean foil. No food, grease, or anything.

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18. Can the grab and go pouches be recycled?
If there is a 1-7 recycle symbol and number on them then yes. But all to go food pouches are not recyclable here. You can recycle them for free at https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/94

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19. Can you recycle mouthwash, shampoo and conditioner bottles?
Yes, they just need to be rinsed out so there is no debris left in them.

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20. What happens to our recycling after it is picked up from the curb?
Badgerland takes it to a recycle center, also known as a transfer center. They are hoping to build their own in the near future.

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21. How is it sorted?
It depends on the recycle center it’s taken to. Most places have a conveyer belt where they load the recycling onto and as it comes down the line there are workers that sort through it and get it separated for bundling.

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22. Does everything stay domestically?
It stays within the United States at the moment. China used to have a big hand in the recycling economy but unfortunately they found our products in the USA were too contaminated and quit buying from the U.S. Wisconsin has many recycling mills where they create new material right here in the state! 

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