To the Editor: Recycling of plastics, metals and cardboard has been available in Watonga since February 2022. The recycling center is located at 313 East Second Street. The hours are 8-10 a.m. on Tuesdays and 3-6 p.m. on Thursdays.
The first item to consider recycling are plastics stamped with a number 1. Examples include water bottles, soft drink bottles, frozen food trays, vegetable oil bottles, salad dressing bottles and peanut butter jars. Similar to these are PET #1 thermoforms. These are packages for salads, sandwiches, berries, cosmetics, etc.
The next type of item to recycle are #2 plastic containers. Examples are milk jugs, detergent and oil bottles.
Aluminum containers such as soft drink, some pet foods and meat cans should be recycled. Recycling aluminum uses about 5% of the energy used to produce primary aluminum. The environmental benefits of using recycled aluminum are extensive, including reducing energy use, pollution, emissions, and carbon dioxide emissions.
Steel cans are highly recyclable. Most food cans are truly made of steel. Steel cans package a variety of products, including fruits, vegetables, soups, sauces, meats, juice, pet food, cleaning products, shoe polish, paint (clean) and coffee.
Cardboard and chipboard are desirable items to recycle. One of the major benefits of recycling cardboard is that it keeps this bulky material out of landfills. Recycling saves large amounts of this wood-based material.
Neither #5 plastics nor glass can be accepted at present according to the city manager.
The more we recycle, or repurpose, the less the city is paying to dispose of trash. The city receives some financial benefit from Replenysh, the recycling company with whom the city partners. I would suggest the city track the amount of each type of recycled material and payments from the partnership to continue to grow this beneficial program .