Can I Recycle This? Find out September 12

Lola Harmon-Ramsey of Cart-Right Recycling with one of their tipping trucks

Lola Harmon-Ramsey to speak at CEWAC meeting-all invited

Bring your recycling questions and questionable items to the next CEWAC (Citizens Environmental Watch and Action Coalition) meeting on Thursday, September 12, 6pm, Brooks Township Hall, 490 Quarterline Street, Newaygo.

Lola Harmon-Ramsey of Cart-Right Recycling will provide answers on what can and cannot be recycled in Newaygo County. Lola and her husband Mark provide hauling for the recycling sites in the county and for curbside recycling in Fremont. 

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle to Save Money

How to save money on your trash bill and save the environment by following the 3 Rs will also be shared: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

“Reducing how much we buy that is wrapped in plastic or styrofoam, and following tips on how to sensibly reuse everyday items are the best ways to save our money and our Earth,” states Sally Wagoner, CEWAC Coordinator. “Recycling is incredibly important, but is the last “R” and should be the last resort.”

“People in our communities are eager to recycle,” states Lola Harmon. “But often people put items in the bins or dumpsters that are not able to be recycled at the Kent County facility where all of our recyclables go.”

What happens when trash gets mixed with recyclables?

“The trash, along with a lot of good recyclables, may go right into the landfill,” states Lola. “Just because it is plastic or metal does not mean it can be recycled.”

Contents of the recycling bins and dumpsters are hauled by Cart-Right to the Kent County facility. People there go through the tons of items by hand as it all comes down big conveyor belts. It is a messy, dirty job, and It may be safer and easier for the workers to reject a load if it has a lot of trash or unacceptable items. 

“Dirty food containers, greasy pizza boxes, bread wrappers and deli meat baggies are some of the common items we cannot take,” adds Lola. “Things that can tangle up in the machinery are not good also, like coat hangers, plastic strapping and rope. And plastic that is too small can jam up or fall through the machinery, so loose lids from bottles, jars and drink cups as well as plastic straws should be put in your trash.”

So what CAN be recycled!

“A lot!” states Lola enthusiastically. “If we do it right, dozens of dumpsters each week that are filled with good recycling will NOT go into our landfill.”

People are encouraged to share the following at the September 12 meeting:

1.   An item that you are not sure is recyclable or not.
2.  What you do to reduce the amount of plastic that you buy.
3.  Ways you reuse items instead of throwing them away.

CEWAC is an initiative of 3R Environmental Education, a non-profit community organization that encourages “Green Mindfulness” in Newaygo County through practice and policy. For more information email: [email protected].


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