question 1:

You just polished off a large pepperoni. The bottom of the 🍕 box is greasy, but the lid is clean. What do you do?

question 2:

The plastic juice container has a screw-on plastic cap. Do you-

question 3:

You have amassed a pile of plastic grocery bags. Do they go-

question 4:

True or False: All paper is recyclable?

question 5:

Plastic lids, straws, and utensils, where do you dispose of them?

question 6:

Have glass? Which one actually makes it to the recycling plant?

question 7:

What do you do with your electronics?

answer to question # 1:

B

Only clean cardboard belongs in the bin. Greese and cheese = contamination. Oregon's new rules: empty, clean, dry.

Return to the test, push the button

answer to question # 2:

B

🐝 again

New Oregon rule: If it screws on and stays put, leave it on. Loose caps get lost and jam machinery.

answer to question # 3:

B

Noticing a trend?

Plastic bags do not go into recycling- they tangle the sorting machines. Reuse or drop them to a store drop-off.

answer to question # 4:

B

Consistency is key, there is always an exception:

All paper is not the same!

Paper towels, paper plates, ice cream cartons, frozen food boxes- all these items are prepared with a chemical agent to increase the fibers adhesion when wet, thereby resisting the usual disintegrating effects of moisture, staying strong while getting wet. The pulping process paper undergoes when it is recycled, uses water to separate the fibers...can you see where this is going?...when these items are included the result is a cauldron of gelatinous goo that clogs the machinery!

answer to question # 5:

B

it's the middle way

Recycling is not about making wishes. Plastic lids, straws, and utensils don’t belong in the recycling bin. Maybe one day someone will find a way to easily collect them and turn them into something new, but for now, they’re not part of Oregon’s co-mingled recycling. Including them only adds to the problem and undermines the work of those who are paying attention.If you answered C, make art,

Sayaka Ganz

the Pearl District is a great place to be.

answer to question # 6:

B

shadoobie

Only glass bottles and jars, the kind for food and drink, belong in your recycling bin. They are made from a type of glass that melts at a consistent temperature, which makes it easy for recycling facilities to process and turn into new containers.Other types of glass like windows, drinking glasses, ceramics, mirrors, and light bulbs, may look similar but are made differently. They contain additives or coatings that change how they melt, and even a small amount of that material can ruin an entire batch of recycled glass.

answer to question # 7:

B

To 🐝 or not to 🐝

Electronics, things like computers, printers, TVs, cameras, electric power tools, telephones, microwaves & toasters don't go in the co-mingled recycling bin but many of the components are recyclable.937's Sustainability Committee and Bluestone are partnering with

for a weekend-long on-site collection November 6th - 10th - a safe, easy way to clear out old tech responsibly.For a complete list click ♻️

🦉 🐍 🐈 🦦 🦊 🦢

This is the end of the test. Were you as surprised as I was to learn how little actually belongs in the recycling bin? It's not that the rest can't be recycled, it's that the system to do so isn't in place yet. When we do our part to make sure what goes into the bin truly belongs there, we help lower the costs of recycling and encourage businesses to expand what can be recovered.Have a question, idea or suggestion? Just send a note to the email below.

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Accepted Materials

in working or non-working condition

NOT ACCEPTED