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Waste & Recycling July 16, 2018 12:30:22 PM

Lancaster County Limits Recycling; Blames Challenging U.S. Markets

Paul Ploumis
ScrapMonster Author
Incidentally, Lancaster County has a recycling rate of 44%, which is well above the national average of 34.6%.

Lancaster County Limits Recycling; Blames Challenging U.S. Markets

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The Lancaster County has trimmed its recycling program, by placing controls on the items that are allowed to be disposed of at the curbside green bins. The County Solid Waste Management Authority has blamed the recent collapse in U.S. recycling market for its decision. The press release states that the recycling has been limited to selected items that still enjoy strong value for recycling.

According to County officials, the curbside pickup will now accept only metal food and beverage containers, plastic bottles and jugs that have a neck, glass bottles and jars, and corrugated cardboard. All the municipalities and trash haulers will be informed about the changes. It plans to launch an education campaign to raise awareness among public about the new changes. Incidentally, Lancaster County has a recycling rate of 44%, which is well above the national average of 34.6%.

ALSO READ: New Report Analyzes Market Impacts of Chinese Scrap Import Restrictions

Kathryn Sandoe, authority spokeswoman cited two reasons for its decision to trim acceptable recyclables. Firstly, the stricter contamination standards set by Chinese authorities have impacted the U.S. processing firms, as many of them fail to meet the new standards. Consequently, the recyclable intake has declined sharply. Also, County residents have been increasingly dumping trash in their recycling bins. As per estimates, trash accounted for up to 40% of items disposed of in recycling bins.

The items banned from residential recycling bins include newspaper, magazines, junk mail, paperboard, plastics without neck, glass, aluminum foil, aerosol cans, paint cans, auto parts, utensils, pots and pans, irons, lids to bottles and cans, rubber items, batteries, electronics, food waste, Christmas lights and garden hoses. Some of the banned items such as newspapers and magazines, can still be recycled at designated recycling locations.

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