You’ve probably heard, “Reduce, reuse, recycle,” a staple in teaching environmental consciousness, especially at an early age. But beyond those elementary school days, did anyone ever recite to you, “Recycle plastics Nos. 1, 2 and 5 in Onondaga County”? Probably not.

While “reduce, reuse, recycle” is short, sweet and to the point, it leaves out many important details for those who choose recycling as the most important way to incorporate green living into their everyday lives.

When recycling cannot be relied on alone, it’s time to remember we need a combination of the three Rs to get us to a happier, healthier place.

You can recycle paper, glass, plastic and metals. You can even recycle electronics or other combinations of things. But each county, township and city has its own rules and regulations on what exact items you can recycle and how you can recycle them.

For instance, Onondaga County provides curbside blue bin pick-up for some paper, plastic, glass and metal. Other electronics, fluorescent bulbs, batteries, plastic bags and more need to be recycled at local retailers or places of purchase – they do not go in the blue bin or in the trash.

Not all paper, plastic, glass and metals can be recycled. Most papers can be recycled in our county, such as newspaper, magazines, softcover books, mail, envelopes and cardboard. Glass jars, glass bottles and metal cans can be recycled, as well as No. 1 and No. 2 plastic bottles, and No. 5 plastic tubs. All should be emptied and rinsed without lids.

Anything else, including those lids, goes in the trash. That means plastics that have numbers 3, 4, 6 or 7 on the bottom. It also means any broken glass, drinking glasses or window glass. No paper towels, tissues, plates or cups. Egg cartons, whether paper or Styrofoam, cannot be recycled.

Recycling is a bit more complex than elementary school Earth Day celebrations teach. At the same time, it’s not rocket science. You put the recyclables in the bin and put it out on your curb the same day as trash pick-up. Onondaga County makes it easy for us.

In addition to this ease of access, Onondaga County has recycling available that other portions of our country don’t have, such as No. 5 plastic container recycling. For instance, my hometown on Long Island only recycles Nos. 1 and 2 plastics, meaning that I have to reuse them, reduce them or throw them in a landfill.

On the other hand, some places are more advanced in their recycling systems. Cayuga, Madison and Oswego counties already collect plastics Nos. 1-7, four more types of plastic than Onondaga County. And that’s a lot of plastic.

But when recycling leaves out different types of plastics and materials, it’s time for the other two Rs to come in – reducing and reusing.

There are options when purchasing products. Try not to buy items wrapped in packaging that you know you’ll have to throw out. You can even reuse plastic containers instead of buying Tupperware.

Recycling is not the pinnacle R to remember. It’s only part of the process.

Meg Callaghan is a junior environmental studies major at SUNY-ESF. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at mlcallag@syr.edu. 

Published on February 6, 2013 at 1:50 am