Curbside recycling expands in Sisters

About 1,000 High Country Disposal customers in the Sisters Country have received 95-gallon recycling bins, allowing them to recycle from home and receive free pickup of their recycled material.

The bins will be collected every other week on the same day as trash pickup.

Those living within the city limits have had the co-mingle roll carts for over a year.

"Our curbside program maximizes the amount of recycling," said Brad Bailey, HCD president. "And being collected at homes takes pressure off the main depot."

The program is not universally popular. Some residents are unhappy with the big blue container, which they did not request and for which they must pay $1.90 per month. Some are also displeased by what HCD won't pick up and concerned that the Sisters Recycling Center may eventually close down.

Glass, which is accepted at the Sisters Recycling Center, cannot be picked up at home sites.

Corrugated cardboard is a big recycling item. Waxy-finish frozen-food containers have a vapor barrier recycling centers cannot remove and are not recyclable. The waxy finish can be easily recognized by running your fingernail across the container. Food boxes without the waxy finish, like cracker boxes, can be recycled.

Both flattened corrugated and non-corrugated cardboard go in the 95-gallon bin.

Not all containers with the familiar triangle with the number inside can be recycled. Whether they have a triangle or not, those clear plastic clamshell containers with the hinged lids cannot be recycled.

"The numbered triangles are not used throughout Central Oregon," said HCD Marketing Manager Susan Baker. "They aren't consistent throughout the market. The greater concern is size, for example, plastics should be six ounces or larger, up to the five-gallon bucket size."

Recycle water and soda pop bottles. Five recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles make enough material to stuff a ski jacket.

"Do not put the plastic lids like those on cottage cheese and yogurt in with recyclables because they can be sorted into cardboard and are then considered a contaminate," Baker said. "Steel jar lids are acceptable in the co-mingle at the recycling centers because they have depth, but we do ask that lids be separated from their container."

Food cans can be recycled, but should be rinsed clean. The paper surrounding the can does not need to be removed.

Paper towels, tissue paper, paper cups and plates are not recyclable. Candy wrappers are not recyclable because they are too small and pet-food bags are not recyclable because the inner layer has a waxy coating.

Paper shredded in strips is best. Confetti shredded paper must be put in a paper bag to confine it; otherwise it becomes trash because it cannot be easily packed in bales.

Bailey says it helps if there are four feet between carts, and for those with pickup at curbside, between the cart and street vehicles. Curbside rather than the sidewalk is best so as not to block pedestrians.

Sisters Recycling Center is now fenced so that hours of operation can be managed. High Desert Fence in Sisters was hired by the City of Sisters in partnership with High Country Disposal to do the installation.

New hours will take effect for the recycling center beginning August 16.

"We will keep the Recycling Center open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed during holidays," said Brad Grimm, Director of Public Works for the City of Sisters.