BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) — Do you recycle? Are you doing it the same way you’ve always done it?
November 15 is America Recycles Day, and Brown County Resource Recovery is encouraging you to think about what and how you recycle and dispose of materials.
“We grow up learning that certain items are meant for the recycling bin, such as paper and aluminum cans, and other items should be tossed in the garbage” said Mark Walter, Brown County Resource Recovery Business Development Manager. “But as times change, so do the ways of disposing materials. That’s why it’s important to stay up to date.”
Paper and aluminum cans remain top items to recycle, but anything smaller than a credit card should go directly into the trash. The one exception is batteries and battery-containing devices.
“Batteries, especially lithium-ion batteries, are very dangerous if put in with your garbage or recycling,” added Walter. “They are prone to damage that can lead to fires at home or at material transfer facilities.”
In Brown County, residents can dispose of household batteries and various battery containing devices for free at the Hazardous Material Recovery facility through the Batteries NOW Included program.
Other items that should not be put into your recycling bin are plastic bags, tissue paper, aluminum foil, holiday lights, wrapping paper and Styrofoam.
If you are unsure of what materials should go into what bin or location, you can use free tools such as the Tri-County Recycling’s Waste Wizard or the mobile app Betterbin.
If you’re still not sure what to do with an item, follow the saying, “when in doubt, throw it out.”
