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1. Can I recycle magazines and telephone books in the curbside recycling program at my home?

Yes. The materials may be included in with your mixed paper. Mixed paper can include copy paper, envelopes, other junk mail (please remove all plastic associated with junk mail), magazines and telephone books. Please separate your mixed paper from your newspaper by placing the mixed paper in brown paper bags or the reusable bags which can be purchased at the Recycling and Trash Collection Office. If you have large amounts of paper, we ask that you bring the materials to either recycling drop off site located at 1420 South Happy Hollow Road and/or 735 West North Street.

2. Can I use plastic grocery / retail bags to bundle or sack newspaper, paperboard, and junk mail?

No. Plastic grocery bags are not accepted in our recycling program. These bags are currently only recyclable at the stores where they originated. Please recycle your bags at these stores, which have recycling boxes at their entrances. To keep newspaper, paperboard, and mixed paper separate, we suggest that you use two recycling bins, one for containers and one for paper, newspaper, and paperboard. If you only want to use one bin, we ask that you stack your newspaper, junk mail, and paperboard neatly in your bin to allow for quick sorting by our drivers. You may bag newspaper, mixed paper, and paperboard in paper grocery bags if you have them available, but please consider purchasing reusable cloth bags for your shopping needs. Doing so is the best environmental practice since it reduces the number of plastic and paper bags used.

3. Can I recycle large amounts of cardboard and paper?

Yes, although the curbside collection program cannot collect piles of cardboard in excess of 3 feet by 3 feet or numerous bags of shredded paper. If you have large volumes of these please bring them down to either recycling drop off located at 1420 South Happy Hollow Road by the Recycling and Trash Collection office or at the Marion Orton Recycling Center located at 735 West North Street.

4. Are all plastics recyclable in our community?

At this time we can only accept bottles labeled with a #1 and #2 recycling triangle. To find out the number of a plastic bottle or container look near the bottom of the bottle or container to see its plastic resin code. #1 and #2 bottles and jugs make up approximately 96% of all bottles in the market place and are usually targeted in recycling programs. The reason all plastics can't be mixed together for recycling is because of the way plastics are made. There are 2 main processes for forming plastic containers - blow molding and injection molding. In a blow molding process the plastic is blown into a particular shape, like a bottle, whereas in the injection mold the plastic resin is injected into a mold that forms a particular shape, like a butter tub. The resins from a soda bottle and salad container might be the same but the different processes used to create them use different chemicals that change the melt index of the container which means they do not melt at the same temperature. Therefore we are only able to accept #1 and #2 plastic bottles at this time. Just remember the definition of a bottle is the neck is smaller than the base of the bottle.

5. Can I use another bin or do I have to use the City of Fayetteville recycling bins?

Because the recycling trucks that collect your curbside recycling are specially designed for the size of the city recycling bins, we ask that you please use our bins. These bins are made out of 50% post consumer recycled plastic! Additional bins can be purchased from the Recycling and Trash Collection Division for a small fee. Residents receive 2 bins for free when participating in the recycling program. Also, please remember to use the black lid that is supplied with the bin. The lids keep materials dry on rainy days and help contain litter by keeping items in the bin.

6. What if one recycling bin is not enough?

Residents receive two bins for free when participating in the recycling program. Using two bins is ideal: one for glass, plastic, and metal containers, and one for paper and paperboard. Additional bins are available by calling our Recycling and Trash Collection Office at 479-575-8398. Additional bins cost $10.50 plus tax, and can be picked up at the Recycling and Trash Collection Office located at 1560 South Happy Hollow Road.

7. I can't remember, what items are recycled in Fayetteville?

We recycle newspaper, mixed paper (junk mail, magazines, phone books, copy paper, etc.), paperboard (cereal boxes, etc.), cardboard, plastic bottles coded #1 and #2, aluminum cans, steel cans; and brown, green, and clear glass containers. We do not accept all other plastics not coded as a #1 and #2 bottle or jug, windows, glass dishes, light bulbs or similar items. Please make sure all materials are clean and free from trash contamination.

8. I've got ink jet cartridges and batteries and rechargeable batteries, what do I do with them?

You can take items like ink jet and rechargeable batteries to the Washington County Household Hazardous Waste facility located at 2615 Brink Drive in Fayetteville (by the Washington County Jail). Please take regular batteries like AA, AAA, D, etc. to the Washington County Household Hazardous Waste Facility also in addition to other hazardous household wastes. Washington County's phone number is 479-444-1725.

9. Can I recycle my Christmas tree?

Yes. The Recycling and Trash Collection Division recycles Christmas trees each year through the composting program. Collection crews will pick up your real Christmas tree if it is placed out properly for collection. Only real trees will be collected, no artificial trees are picked up in this program. Please remove all lights, stands, decorations, tinsel and other items placed on the tree. Place the tree at your curb on your normal trash day. Crews will pick up the trees starting after Christmas until the end of January. After that time residents can bring their trees to the compost facility during normal operating hours.