Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Compost
- Make a habit of carrying reusable bags, bottles, cups & containers.
- Save glass containers for buying and storing bulk food items.
- Buy 2nd hand clothing instead of new; watch for Green Sanctuary Task Force clothing swaps, held in the spring and fall!
Don’t be an aspirational recycler – learn the rules!
Plastic Recycling
Only #1, #2, and #5 plastic is actually recycled.
- Clean any oily/food residue.
- Several local stores, like Target and Kroger, take clean, dry #2 and #4 plastic bags.
x #3, #6 and #7 cannot be recycled.
If there is no recycling code, it’s landfill!
Reduce the use of non-recyclable items including Styrofoam cups or carry-out containers.
× Paperboard containers for liquids & disposable coffee
cups are coated or lined with plastic, so are not recyclable.
× Try to avoid single-use plastic, non-recyclable food
containers, plastic bags, and plastic bottles.
Paper, Cardboard, Metals, and Glass Recycling
Private residences in Bloomington have curbside recycling.*
Apartment residents and all county residents can take items to one of the Monroe County Waste Reduction District locations, along with flattened oversized cardboard boxes, scrap metal and clean aluminum foil.
- They take batteries for proper disposal.
- They take reusable items in good condition for others to use.
*Even a small amount of soiled paper or cardboard can contaminate
a load, so it all goes to the landfill – even the good stuff!
Composting
- Food scraps, leaves and yard waste; a good guide: https://grillio.com/blog/grillios-guide-to-food-waste-and-composting/
