America Recycles Day is Friday

America Recycles Day is Friday but Brunswick County wants residents to commit to recycling correctly every day of the year.

“This fall we have been sharing several recycling tips and reminders to our customers about the dos and don’ts of recycling, and the response has been tremendous and very positive,” Solid Waste and Recycling Coordinator Micki Bozeman said in a statement. “We have actively engaged with many people in person, over the phone, via email, and on platforms like Facebook and Nextdoor to respond to questions and talk about the benefits and challenges that come with recycling, and how we can all work together to make our program as successful as possible.”

Although the Recycle Right NC campaign is winding down this month, Bozeman said the county will continue to share information on the county website and social media platforms like the Keep Brunswick County Beautiful Facebook page to continue conversations and promote recycling.

“There is always room for improvement, and we really appreciate having open dialogue with our recyclers,” Bozeman said. “We already have one of the more successful recycling programs in the state, so we are thankful to everyone for their efforts and their willingness to learn more about how to be even better recyclers.”

Brunswick County currently ranks sixth in the state per capita for its public drop-off recycling programs and 12th in the state for curbside collections.

Recycling efforts are hindered and costs go up when nonrecyclable materials, or contaminants, go into the recycling bin, according to the county.

By following the steps below, residents can prevent contamination of the recycling bin and improve the quality and value of the recycling stream:

• Place empty cans, bottles, paper and cardboard in the recycling bin; keep everything else out.
• Do not bag your recyclable items.
• Do not put plastic bags, cords, hoses and other string-like items in the recycling bin as they can tangle around rotating equipment.
• Avoid putting other things that could be hazardous to workers who sort recycling—like batteries, needles, sharp objects and food residue—into the recycling bin.
• Do not put Styrofoam cups and containers in the recycling bin as it is not recyclable through the program.
• When in doubt, throw it out.