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Wishcycling: The dos and don'ts of responsible recycling

Angel Russell
Angel Russell

Every week, a waste collector comes to pick up your recyclables in the blue bin — but Shad Springer with Santa Maria Public Works said people aren’t always getting it right on what can be recycled.

“The largest issue we have for us is contamination," Springer said.

Springer said the big problem causing contamination is people “wishcycling.”

“People are so interested in recycling and making sure that they recycle that they error on the side of ‘wishcycling’," Springer said. "Throwing things in the bin and going, 'Well, if it’s recyclable they will figure it out when it gets there.’ That creates issues for us.”

Springer said they are encouraging people to focus on only putting the "Big Four" in your recycling bin: dry and clean cardboard, plastic bottles, metal food and beverage cans, and glass jars and bottles.

Springer said a common offender that can’t be recycled but often ends up in blue bins is thin, film plastics.

“Those clear plastic shells you see oftentimes in the fruits and vegetable aisles, where people might have their strawberries or raspberries," Springer said. "In general, those are not recyclable.”

Springer also said the chasing arrow symbol with numbers listed on products can be misleading, with some not actually recyclable.

California did recently become the first state to restrict the use of the arrow symbol, but the recyclability labeling law doesn’t go into effect until Jan 1, 2024.

“If you’re uncertain, go ahead and throw it away," Springer said. "Contaminating the recycling stream is a bigger issue than not recycling one or two items that might have been recyclable.”

Part of the EPA’s new plan to improve recycling throughout the nation calls for enhanced federal recycling coordination, improving definitions of what can and cannot be recycled and increasing the collection of recyclable materials.

Angel Russell is a former KCBX News reporter who started her career in journalism as a reporter and producer for KREX on Colorado's Western Slope; she later moved to the Central Coast to work for KSBY as weekend anchor and weekday reporter. She holds a BA in journalism from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, and playing guitar and piano.
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