Paper and cardboard items can be recycled through the Curbside Program and through Self Haul to the transfer stations.  

How to Recycle Paper

Paper consists of quite a few different items that you will find in your household. Basically, any paper product can and should be recycled so long as it has not come in direct contact with food or liquid. The paper must be left whole and cannot be shredded or torn in small pieces or it will not go through the recycling machines correctly.

What to Recycle

RECYCLE THESE	DO NOT RECYCLE THESE	TIPS
Beverage & Liquid
	All can be recycled as long as they are clean!	Remove any caps and throw them into the trash.
Catalog & Phone Books
	All can be recycled.	Remove any plastic wrapping and throw into the trash. Recommend removing and shredding personal information label.
Cardboard
	All can be recycled.	Remove any plastic material and throw into the trash. Flatten & tied into a bundle or placed in the blue recycle bag.
Dry Goods
	All can be recycled as long  as they are clean.	Must be flattened and tied into a bundle or placed in the blue recycle bag.
Frozen Food
		Only boxes that did not come in direct contact with food.
Mixed Paper, Mail & Newspaper
		Do not recycle shredded paper or paper soiled by food or liquid. Do not need to remove the plastic address box.

Why Recycle Paper

The benefits to recycling paper far out weigh any negative impact that recycling can have. Seven benefits of recycling paper as stated on Stopbasura.com are as follows:

1. Energy saving: Paper produced from recycled paper represents an energy saving of 70% compared to the energy needed to produce paper from wood or virgin fibers (more than glass)
2. Reduction of the raw material consumed (trees felled): For every ton of recycled paper, the equivalent of 12 trees is saved in wood. Other sources indicate 17 trees and even 31.
3. Saving resources: By recycling, the paper-cardboard industry could be supplied with almost 69% of the resources it needs
4. Water saving: Recycling paper saves 80% of water compared to production from virgin fiber
5. Improved air and water quality: Paper recycling constitutes a 74% reduction in gas emissions and a 35% reduction in water polluting emissions
6. Savings in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
7. Less waste is sent to landfill or for incineration (ecopark)

Plastic containers (#1 and #2 only) can be recycled through the Curbside Program and through Self Haul to the transfer stations.

How to Recycle Plastic

Plastics recycling is limited due to the market. We currently only recycle #1 and #2 plastics. Any lids on those need to be thrown in the trash as they clog up the machines and cause mechanical issues. 

Look on plastic containers for this symbol with the number 1 or 2 in the middle. Only numbers 1 and 2 are recyclable, all other numbers need to be placed in the garbage. 

What to Recycle

Do Recycle These	Do Not Recycle These	Tips
		No lids, but the wrappers are fine to leave on.
		No plastic clam shells.
		The shiny plastic in the bag is often aluminum or a mixed plastic that can not be separated and recycled.
		Frozen food bags are often made with a plastic film making them non-recyclable.
		No hazardous waste material. For laundry soap make sure to check the number on the bottom. Each bottle can be made differently.
		Plastic bags are not recyclable. Use paper or reusable ones instead.

Why Recycle Plastic

Plastics that are thrown away and sent to the landfill to decompose, take up a lot of space. They also take a very long time to decompose. Recycling the plastic and allowing it to be reused into another product before going to the landfill saves space, energy and resources. The plastics market has taken a huge hit over the past few years and the United States especially is struggling to find solutions to deal with Plastic Waste in our country. New recycling centers are being build and new processes are being put in place. A lot of changes will happen in the next 5-10 years. Stay updated on plastic changes.

Scrap metal is not accepted through the Curbside Program but is accepted through Self Haul to the transfer stations.

How to Recycle Scrap Metal

Recycling scrap metal is easier than you think. And that starts with how easy it is to find scrap metals around the house.  Look around your house, and you can find plenty of metal items that you might want to replace. Scrap metal goes through a rigorous sorting process to separate out the non-metal items which makes it much easier on the person recycling. If you have an item that has plastic or other non-metal parts that can easily come off then you should do so but if it is all connected it can still be recycled. 

What to Recycle

Bulky Metal Appliances 

Bulky metal appliances, also known as "white goods," are accepted at the transfer stations in BZ Corners, Dallesport and Goldendale, but are collected separate from other types of scrap metal. Ask the attendant for assistance. Out of county appliances are not accepted.

Why Recycle Scrap Metal

Scrap metal can be melted down and turned back into new metal products an endless amount of times. This makes it a very valuable resource to recycle. It also saves on the mining that is needed to create new metal products. 

Glass is not accepted through the Curbside Program but is accepted through Self Haul to the transfer stations.

How to Recycle Glass Bottles

• Empty, Clean & Dry
• Dispose of the lid in the trash
• Does not need to be sorted by color
• Try not to break the glass as it is more dangerous for the workers and can become a problem for the machines that sort through them

What to Recycle

Do Recycle These	Do Not Recycle These	Tips
		No broken glass, colors can be mixed
		Jars can be recycled, just toss the lids in the trash. Plates, glass cups, and ovenware are not recyclable

Why Recycle Glass

Glass can be recycled endlessly and produce a new glass item. Why have it sit in a landfill when we can save energy and space by creating a new item from the used item.