Local Recycling Update: Beverage Packs OK

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Beverage 12 and 24 packs are ok for recycling now. I suppose it may not matter to most folks since they've already been dumping them in their  recycling bins, anyway, but beverage packaging- the 12 and 24 pack type boxes that beer and soda come in- used to not be ok for recycling. I was told that some time ago at City Garbage in Eureka.

I was under the impression it was considered "cold pack", which are containers used to store food and beverages under refrigeration. They're made differently than regular paper and cardboard, I was told.

Then I read a comment to a blog a while back that you could recycle beverage containers, but I read lots of stuff on blogs where people say things that aren't true. I decided to look further into it yesterday and noticed the Mckinleyville recycling depot and Willits Solid Waste Services, where Eureka's recycling is shipped now, both made no distinction between cereal or beverage containers. So I e-mailed Willits to ask.

The gal that replied says it's ok to recycle beverage packaging. So much for that. I noticed they also accept milk cartons (rinsed out) so I guess those are ok, too.

Since one long held belief of mine had been shattered, that made me wonder about the other "cold pack" stuff, like frozen food containers. Surely they're still not recyclable? Wrong again. I sent another e-mail to Anita Furia at Willits Solid Waste Services:

My question:  Thanks for your quick reply. Would you know if frozen food containers; the boxes for frozen pizza, lasagna and such are also recyclable?

Her answer:  Yes, those containers are recyclable,; however, the cardboard piece the pizza sits on would not be recyclable if soiled. Also, the container the actual food is placed in needs to have the recycle #1 thru #7 on it and must be clean. The plastic that covers the foods would not be recyclable.

Hmmm...According to her you can throw frozen food containers in the recycling bin. I've never bothered looking at frozen food containers for the numbers as I knew even non- recyclable items have numbers on them. Guess I'll have to look again.