Examples of No. 1 plastics.
Residents of Whitefield are being asked to do their part to keep plastics from being dumped into the landfill due to changes in national importing policies. Last spring, China announced it would no longer import 24 types of paper and plastics that previously had been recycled.
Whitefield residents must now separate No. 1 plastics from Nos. 3-7 plastics. This will ensure that Lincoln County Recycling can continue to collect and bale these plastics to sell to a third party. Any plastics not sorted will be rejected and sent to the trash. A fourth recycling bin clearly marked for No. 1 plastics will be available at the recycling center in Whitefield on Saturday, April 7.
Lincoln County Recycling saved local towns more than $642,000 in 2017 in tipping and transportation fees when compared to single-stream recycling used by other transfer stations. Efforts in sorting recyclables from trash makes a difference in one’s property tax bill. And of course, these efforts will also help the environment.
How can one help? Separate clean recyclables correctly and use the right collection bin. Whitefield will now have four plastic bins: No. 1; No. 2 color; No. 2 clear; and Nos. 3-7.
One should only recycle clean paper, boxes, and containers. If a plastic container does not have number and a recycling triangle printed on it, throw it away. Keep trash out of the recycle bins. When in doubt, ask for help.
Whitefield has a strong reputation for providing clean recycled materials to Lincoln County, which then sells the materials recycled by Whitefield residents and uses any profit to reduce residents’ tax bills. These recyclables are used to make new products, reducing the need to cut trees, mine materials, and extract oil. This saves energy and prevents pollution.
The recycling center located behind the Whitefield town office, located at 36 Townhouse Road, is open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon. For more information contact the town office at 549-5175 or talk with one of the attendants.
