Humor us for a moment and take stock of your trash can. We know, it’s not a terribly pleasant thought, but there might be valuables among those old coffee grounds and wadded-up tissues.
Just about anything you throw out, including egg cartons, junk mail and, in some cases, old clothing or toaster ovens, can be recycled, according to local disposal officials, and it’s not hard, either.
While San Benito County residents can dump their unsorted recyclables into one can, though, Santa Clara County residents still must separate paper, green and container waste, according to Mandy Rose, director of Integrated Waste Management in San Benito County and Julie Osborne, recycling coordinator for South Valley Disposal and Recycling in Gilroy. That’s where a little bit of organization comes in handy.
“Think about the effort you and your family are willing to put into recycling and keep it as easy as you think you can,” said Osborne. “Discuss it with your family, and make sure they understand the rules and why they want to recycle.”
With this framework in mind, families can better plan for recycling. Some ideas are as simple as throwing everything in one can or gathering recyclables on the kitchen counter until there are enough to make sorting worthwhile, said Osborne. Other families may choose to take over a section of the pantry with boxes or bags specifically designated and labeled for different kinds of recyclables, she said.
“The cans and bottles should be rinsed so it doesn’t smell, and the area should be kept as neat and clean as possible so that family members can see what the boxes are for,” said Osborne.
Keep a list of recyclables handy, so that you and other family members can tell if something should or should not go into the trash, said Osborne. Keeping an eye on appropriate items helps the sorting process at recycling facilities, according to Rose.
“San Jose has absolutely great recycling programs, but they also have more than a million residents to pay for it, and a market to purchase it,” said Rose. “That’s a big issue in what kinds of materials you can take and the sophistication of your equipment. If you’re a smaller community, it’s a lot harder to justify the expense and find markets.”
Residents should avoid tossing items like unlabeled plastics, textiles and diapers in the South Valley, said Rose.
“Some communities have a more advanced process than we do, but diapers go in the trash,” said Rose. “Some people think because they’re plastic and they have organic waste it’s OK, but we don’t have the ability to process them.”
Old clothing and rags can be donated to companies like Leatherback in Hollister, which processes them into roofing felt by adding an asphalt mixture to them.
For more on what you can and can’t recycle, see our sidebar or call your local waste agency. South Valley Disposal can be reached at (408) 842-3358 and Integrated Waste Management can be reached at (831) 636-4110.
What can I recycle?
Each city and county in the South Valley has its own list of recyclable items, but some are the same. Residents of Gilroy, Hollister, Morgan Hill and San Martin as well as San Benito County and Santa Clara County are able to recycle anything listed under the category “everyone.” Additional recyclables are listed by municipality.
Hollister and San Benito County are not listed separately because their recycling system, which does not require residents to sort their recyclables, is more limited than Santa Clara County’s sort-your-own system, said Mandy Rose, director of Integrated Waste Management in San Benito County.
Everyone
Glass
All glass food jars and beverage bottles such as wine, mayonnaise and spaghetti sauce jars. These should be rinsed and metal lids should be separated from the jars.
Metal
All metal food and beverage containers including those made of aluminum, tin, steel and bi-metal such as soda, pet food, soup and tuna cans.
Plastics
Plastics coded for recycling with numbers between one and seven. These include clear, opaque or colored containers including milk jugs, water bottles, shampoo bottles, yogurt cups, margarine tubs and polystyrene packing peanuts.
Mixed paper
Newspapers, white paper, colored paper and envelopes as well as cereal boxes (liners removed), cracker boxes, magazines, phone books, junk mail, paper egg cartons and brown paper bags.
Gilroy only
Aseptic containers (waxed cardboard)
Includes containers like milk cartons and juice boxes.
Corrugated cardboard
Must be flattened and bundled with string in a separate pile.
Extra metal
Pots, pans, toasters and metal items that can fit in the bin are acceptable as long as they don’t include microwaves, car parts or small pieces like nuts, bolts or hangers.
Food and green waste
Must go in composting cart, but can include food scraps, bones, food soiled paper and pizza boxes as well as grass clippings, leaves and small branches. Unacceptable items include liquids and hazardous waste. No rocks, dirt, concrete, ashes or building materials. Also, no ice plants, palm fronds, cactus, poison ivy, poison oak or bug, moth or ant-infested material. No trash or other garbage, including plastic bags.
Used motor oil and filters
Place used motor oil next to recycling bin in 1-gallon plastic screwtop bottles (up to three). Fully drained filters in sealed, leak-proof bags may also be placed curbside.
Morgan Hill only
Aseptic containers
Same as Gilroy
Corrugated cardboard
Same as Gilroy
Green waste
Grass clippings, leaves and small branches cut into three-foot lengths or less. No fruits or vegetables and no stumps, tree trunks or painted trees. No rocks, dirt, concrete, ashes or building materials. Also, no ice plants, palm fronds, cactus, poison ivy, poison oak or bug, moth or ant-infested material. No trash or other garbage, including plastic bags.
Used motor oil and filters
Same as Gilroy
Unincorporated Santa Clara County only
Aseptic containers
Same as Gilroy
Corrugated cardboard
Same as Gilroy
Green waste
Same as Morgan Hill
Used motor oil & filters
Same as Gilroy, but limit is two bottles per pick-up.
