Residents are urged to recycle when disposing of unwanted items from summer

Gaylord Herald Times
·2 min read

GAYLORD — It’s the time of year to get ready for back to school and to prepare for the approaching fall and winter months.

It's also a time for cleaning out what was accumulated in the summer and separate what we don’t need or want anymore from garages, storage areas and the backyard.

Otsego County residents are able to take this opportunity to use the recycling program to reduce waste management costs. There are a few things to remember when getting rid of recyclables. These include what is able to be recycled at one of the five recycling drop-off sites.

Otsego County’s drop-off locations are taking recyclables, including the following:

  • Corrugated cardboard, pizza boxes, and paper bags, excluding items with grease, and dirt stains, items with caked on food, and any waxy cardboard or wet-strength layer, refrigerator and freezer boxboard

  • Plastics- #1 PET, #2 HDPE, #3 V, #4 LDPE, #5 PP, #6 PS, and #7 Other, bottles, jugs, jars and a number of widemouth containers, excluding items with caked on grease or food

  • Plastic buckets, plastic toys, plastic furniture, and garden plastics

  • Styrofoam — egg cartons, packing material, excluding packing peanuts, however if packing peanuts are clean and in good shape you can call Pak Mail at (989) 732-1558 to see if they are able to take and reuse them.

  • Aluminum cans, trays, and foil

  • Glass of all colors food and beverage containers, excluding dishes (porcelain or glass) and coffee cups

  • Plastic films, plastic bags, shrink wrap, marine shrink wrap, stretch wrap, all plastic bags, cereal box liners

  • Tin-plated steel cans, metal jar lids, small scrap metal, and wire hangers

  • Office paper, envelopes, file folders, junk mail, colored office paper, construction paper, craft paper, manilaenvelopes, craft envelopes, gift wrap excluding any foiled or flocked with metallic or glitter

When using GFL environmental/American Waste’s single-stream recycling, it all goes in the same container.This offers Otsego County residents an easy way to recycle. Remember if it does not fit in the container then do not leave it at the site, as that is considered dumping and it is illegal.

Also, if it is not on the list, call Otsego Conservation District (989) 732-4021 to find out where you might be able to take it to recycle or dispose of properly. You can also pick up an Otsego County Recycling booklet that lists resources available in the area to help you recycle more materials. The free recycling booklets are located at the recycling sites in the green kiosk for your convenience.

The Otsego Conservation District reminds you of the five recycling locations in the county:

  • West — 71 Hayes Tower Road, behind the Hayes Township Hall.

  • North — 621 Garfield St.

  • Central — 931 S. Otsego Ave.

  • South — 247 Old State Road

  • East — 2932 Rock Road, at the Charlton-Chester-Dover Transfer Station

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Residents are urged to recycle when disposing of unwanted items from summer