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Single stream/single sort isn't anything fancy. It simply refers to a system that takes the individual 'source
separated' recycling "streams" collected through the Becker County curb side program — paper, metal, plastic, and
cardboard — and puts them together in one bin. We request you take glass containers to the public recycling sites
listed on the 'Public Recycling Locations' tab above.
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The items below can be placed into a single stream bin:
- Newspapers/Brown Paper Bags
- Magazines, Catalogs
- Telephone/Soft Cover Books
- Junk Mail/Envelopes (all types)
- Paper
- Paperboard (cereal/tissue boxes)
- Cardboard
- Plastic (examples: Milk Jugs, Bleach/Detergent, Shampoo Bottles, etc.)
- Metal Cans (tin/steel/aluminum)
~Please do not tie up or bag your newspaper or cardboard, simply place them in the same container as all your
other recyclables. Boxes that are not "broken down" or flattened take up space and increase the cost of recycling
as more trips are needed to remove recyclables. Do your part and BREAK DOWN cardboard boxes!
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NO, we request recyclables be placed loose in cart. (Exception: shredded paper may be placed
in paper bags and secured closed)
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NO, only food type cans (tin/steel/aluminum) can go into the carts. (Scrap metal can go in
to the 'Big Blue Bin' public sites).
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Flatten boxes. This saves space and lowers the operating costs the program and clean out food residue from food
containers.
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All paper items can be tossed into the recycling bin. The recycling process filters out all non-natural items
(such as staples & plastic windows).
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No. Labels are acceptable on bottles and cans.
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Call your hauler or Becker County Environmental Services at 218-846-7310
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Using just one collection bin for all your recyclable items increases the ease and convenience of recycling so that
more people participate and more resources are saved. Single stream offers more efficient collections for the haulers
who had previously had to separate each commodity.
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Recycling glass is still important, but the inclusion of glass in the single stream process also creates challenges
in the marketing of the paper and cardboard commodities. It makes some of the commodity contaminated and therefore unmarketable.
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If the single sort commodities are clean, the rate of contamination is fairly low.
The major contaminate problem is glass shards in the commodity mix. Although glass was introduced as part of the single
stream process years ago, because of the contamination issue, state-wide and nation-wide -- glass is being pulled from the
commodity stream in many places.
Glass should still be recycled, please take the glass containers to the public recycling sites listed on the
'Public Recycling Locations' tab above.
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Becker County will ship the single stream commodity to markets to ready them for sale, the closest markets
being in the Twin Cities.
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Depending on the vendor, most material recovery facilities (MRF's) in the Twin Cities use machinery such as optical
sorters, eddy current and magnets, along with manual labour to separate commodities.
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The paper mills allow up to 5% moisture in the paper so it's not a problem. As always, we do ask that you empty and
rinse all your containers to keep food contamination out of your bin. But moisture will not ruin the paper.
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Yes. Cartons are now accepted with the new single stream/single sort curb side program.
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Plastics with #1 - #7 on the bottom of the plastic container. We do not take Styrofoam, salt or dog food type bags.
Plastic bags can be recycled through the local grocery stores.
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Paperboard boxes that were designed for freezer foods, such as frozen pizza and entrées, have a plastic polymer
sprayed on them to protect against freezer burn. That same coating prevents the box from breaking up in the recycling
process. These materials are not recyclable.
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These items do not go into the single stream cart; they can be brought to the Becker County Transfer Station:
24413 County Rd 144, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 or call 218-846-7310 for more information.
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It is always good for recycling when the materials are properly sorted at "the source", (your home, school or office).
The 'Big Blue Bins' will stay in the same locations throughout the County and will continue to be collected 'source separated'
(each commodity in their own bin).
Single Stream in:
Single stream is now taking place in the Cities of Detroit Lakes, Frazee, Audubon, and Lake Park. Becker County's
goal is to work towards a 60% recycling rate and singlestream helps to increase this volume of materials collected. It is good for recycling if
ever increasing amounts of material are kept out of the landfill and sold in good clean condition to the remanufacturing companies that make
new products from recycled material.
PLEASE AVOID CONTAMINATION
Do not place non-recyclable items, trash, food scraps or other banned items in the recycling containers. This could cause the entire load to
be rejected.