Waste Management's recycling center on Commercial Row processes all kinds of of bottles, cans and paper. But a lot of things that we associate with Christmas shouldn't be recycled, like shiny wrapping paper.
"Wrapping paper that is just paper can be recycled, but paper with a plastic coating or with shiny material on it will not be recyclable," said Jorge Ballesteros, Operations Supervisor for the Recycling Center. It has a coating on it that won't pulp and will contaminate the other material."
The same is true for most decorative holiday bags, ornaments and decorations like garlands and tinsel.
"Garland a non-recyclable material," Ballesteros said. "It is made out of PVC and considered contamination. It will wrap around our system and causes down time and it never decomposes."
Christmas lights can get stuck in the machines and should be thrown away. Plastic shopping bags can't be recycled, so they shouldn't be used to bag bottles or cans that can be recycled; the whole bag can't be separated and will be thrown away. Disposable roasting pans are allowed here - long as they're wiped out.
"In Reno there's a misconception that everything has to be washed out before it's recycled," Ballesteros said. "We recommend not doing that; just scrape them out so you don't waste water but you can still recycle."
If you have any questions about what can go in your recycling cart, you can check the lid or call the Recycling Center directly. Customers are getting better at knowing what to recycle. Items that can't be recycled- is now at 16 percent, down from 26 percent last year.
"It means the customers are embracing our recycling program and starting to do the right thing," Ballesteros said.
