TROY GROVE - Recycling is generally a good thing but due to misuse of the recycling dumpster at the Troy Grove Township office, Troy Grove area residents may no longer have a place to dispose of their recyclables.

Karen Stremlau, Troy Grove Township Supervisor, said over the past several weeks people have thrown too many unacceptable items and too much garbage in the recycle dumpster and that has caused an unexpected expense for the township. “Our cost has more than doubled from $165 a week to over $400 a week and that’s not in the budget,” she said. “In fact, there were two weeks when the company wouldn’t even take it to be recycled - they took it all to the dump because there was too much garbage mixed in.”

Stremlau said the township wants to continue this service for Troy Grove and rural residents because they would otherwise be unable to recycle. “If people don’t follow the guidelines, we can’t afford to continue,” she added. “I hope if we give people a reminder of the acceptable items for recycling, the problem will be resolved.”

Materials accepted for recycling

Aluminum food and beverage containers

Glass food and beverage containers – brown, clear, or green

Ferrous (Iron) cans

PET plastic containers with the symbol #1 – with screw tops only, without caps

HDPE natural plastic containers with the symbol #2 – narrow neck containers only (milk and water bottles)

HDPE pigmented plastic containers with the symbol #2 – narrow neck containers only, without caps (detergent, shampoo bottles, etc.)

Plastics with symbols #3, #4, #5, #6, #7-narrow and screw top containers

Newsprint

Old corrugated cardboard

Magazines

Catalogs

Cereal boxes

Telephone books

Printer paper

Copier paper

Mail

All other office paper without wax liners

Materials NOT accepted

Microwave trays

Mirrors

Window or auto glass

Light Bulbs

Ceramics

Porcelain

Plastics unnumbered

Plastic bags

Coat hangers

Glass cookware/bakeware

Household items such as cooking pots, toasters, etc.

All glass containers must by empty and free of metal caps and rings and contain less than 5% food debris.

All tin cans, bi-metal cans, and aluminum cans must be empty and contain less than 5% food debris.

All aerosol cans must be empty with less than 5% content

All plastic containers must be empty, caps removed; less than 5% food debris.

All fiber must be dry and free of food debris and other contaminating material.

Tissues, paper towels or other paper that has been in contact with food is not acceptable.

Recyclables may contain up to 5% Unacceptable Materials, however, recyclables may not:

1. Materially impair the strength or the durability of the COMPANY’s structures or equipment; or
2. Create flammable or explosive conditions in COMPANY’s facilities;
3. Contain dry cell batteries of lead acid batteries;
4. Contain chemical or other properties which are deleterious or capable of causing material damage to any part of COMPANY’s property, its personnel or the public; or
5. Contain Excluded Materials defined as any waste tires, radioactive, volatile, corrosive, flammable, explosive, biomedical, infectious, biohazardous, regulated medical or hazardous waste, toxic substance or material, as defined by, characterized or listed under applicable federal, state, or local laws or regulations, or other waste not approved in writing by COMPANY.