Trash and Recycling

There remain skeptics among us who aren’t convinced that the materials put into recycling carts and left curbside are indeed recycled and go on to a to be used to make new consumer products. WM of Colorado, the company that provides recycling services to resident and businesses in Evans, is very clear on this subject: Recycling with WM is real. 

WM backs up its statement with transparency into their processes for recycling collection, reporting of material volumes, sorting and processing, and their commitment to only work with reputable recycling partners. During 2024, WM of Colorado and its customers worked together to divert 226,889 tons of material for beneficial reuse. When we Recycle Right with WM, our recyclables are collected, sorted, and compacted into huge bales that move on to be made into paper pulp, plastic pellets and metal sheets of raw material that are in turn used by manufactures to make their new products.

Here are just some of the products your recyclables can be made into:

• Cardboard = new corrugated cardboard boxes, paperboard cereal/cracker/cookie boxes, paper towel tubes, tissues boxes, milk and juice cartons, pizza boxes, etc.
• Paper = new cardboard, paperboard, newsprint, office paper, envelopes, tissues, paper towels, etc.
• Plastic = new plastic film/sheets, food and beverage bottles, storage containers, carpeting, fabric, clothing, backpacks, etc.
• Metal = New food and beverage cans, car parts, window frames, wire, tubing, electronic parts, etc.

Whether you are a dedicated recycler or a skeptic, there remains one aspect about community recycling programs that is undisputed but often misunderstood or misconstrued. The statement “Not all the materials put into recycling carts gets recycled,” is true. But wait! This is true only because not everyone is following the rules. On average, 20 percent of the items put into curbside recycling carts are NOT on the list of accepted materials. This means about 1 out of 4 items put into recycling are ‘contamination” and cannot be recovered for reuse.

Recycling Right® Rules

So, it is important that we follow the rules and keep the recycling stream clean. Remember to only recycle clean cardboard, paper, metal cans, glass bottles and jars, and plastic containers shaped like bottles, jars, jugs and tubs. It it’s not on this list, it belongs in the donation pile or the trash. To learn more about recycling visit wm.com/RecycleRight.