Comments on: Plastic vs. Cardboard Milk Containers

By: Squeaky Wheel

Squeaky Wheel — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 01:28:34 +0000

I’m going on what my husband tells me actually goes on over there. I talked with the city, but they say Latham doesn’t accept pizza boxes and other “contaminated” paper. When I have a minute, I’m going to try to call Latham. It’s very frustrating to know how this paper recycling stuff works in practice and see so many recyclable items being sent to the landfill. According to my better half, even used paper towels have a little bit of usuable fiber in them.

By: tpreed

tpreed — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:24:49 +0000

I went to the link, but I am still confused. I saw the part where they say they take pizza boxes sans the pizza but they also state under “Two easy ways to save the environment” that they don’t take waxed cardboard. Maybe there is a difference between waxed cardboard and the containers milk and oj come in? I also see that windowed envelopes are accepted. I have been throwing those in the garbage for years.

Maybe it is time the city updates what items are currently recyclable and what what items would contaminate the recyclables.

By: Claire

Claire — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:46:16 +0000

What’s up? Nice response;)

By: tpreed

tpreed — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 15:04:36 +0000

With the understanding that pizza boxes were not recyclable I usually put our used pizza boxes on top of or beside the garbage can that holds the blue plastic bags required by the city and I have watched the guys working City of Decatur’s recycling contractor walk over a pick them up and throw them into the back of the trucks. I also watched one time when I had placed about a dozen pieces 4×4′ masonite that was covered in paint splatters (I used the masonite to cover the floors while painting) and the recycling guy picked up all of the pieces and threw them in the back of the recycling truck. It seems to me that either the contamination rules are fairly lax or the guys picking up are not really trained in what to pickup and not to pickup or the contractor is getting paid by the city by the pound and there might be incentive to throw whatever they can into the trucks.

By: Parker Cross

Parker Cross — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:59:59 +0000

Mathis was still delivering to the front door in the late ‘80s. I was a customer, although that was mostly for the nostalgia of it. I can’t remember exactly when they stopped.

By: Squeaky Wheel

Squeaky Wheel — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 02:38:16 +0000

And another thing! Pratt accepts garbage to burn in the boiler that powers their plant. So, in essence, your garbage is also recyclable.

By: Shc

Shc — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 02:31:36 +0000

I’m shocked that styrofoam is used in the lunchrooms in Decatur!!!

By: Squeaky Wheel

Squeaky Wheel — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 02:28:20 +0000

Pratt Industries has a paper recycling facility in Conyers. My husband is an independent contractor there and worked on the construction of the facility. Pratt recycles ALL PAPER! That’s all. Wax coated paper is more difficult on the paper machine and may need to be steamed in order to remove the wax, but it most definitely can be recycled. Below is a link to their site explaining the process & specifically stating that pizza boxes are recyclable. There is also a picture of a cardboard milk jug.

My understanding is that the contractor we use for home pick up does not accept these items. I’m not sure why, but I’m putting a call in to them. I strongly suspect, due to the proximity, that Latham sends their paper to Pratt.

There are a lot of misconceptions about paper recycling and I’m on a mission to get those pizza boxes out of the landfill.

Regarding the sorting, most recycling facilities now use electronic sorting which is why we are able to co-mingle our recyclables. I don’t believe the machine recognizes pizza boxes as something different than the Amazon box next to it.

If Latham doesnt accept all paper, then I think Decatur needs to consider a different contractor.
http://prattindustries.com/pi_Recycling.asp