The city of Vancouver wants to teach people what materials can and can’t be recycled and what happens to the materials after they’re tossed in the bin.
“We try to demystify recycling and what goes into the big blue cart,” said Julie Gilbertson, the solid waste analyst with the city of Vancouver. “We keep focus light and easy.”
She added that different communities have different standards for what kind of materials can be recycled. The class will clarify what can be recycled locally by giving a visual tour through the recycling process.
For instance, in Vancouver plastic bags and plastic wrap can’t be recycled at the curb. They can be recycled at a number of local supermarkets. To-go coffee cups can’t be recycled.
The region benefits from properly sorted recyclables by being able to market to a broader group of materials buyers.
Anyone with questions about a specific type of material is encouraged to bring it to the class.
The class is presented by Waste Connections and the city of Vancouver, but all county residents are invited to attend. It’s free and open to the public and is expected to take about 90 minutes.
Neighborhood association members who attend the class and share information about it in their neighborhood newsletters could earn a $120 grant.
Recycling 101 will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Waste Connections’ customer service office, 12115 N.E. 99th St., Suite 1830. Attendees are asked to RSVP by calling 360-487-7162 or emailing julie.gilbertson@cityofvancouver.us.
Also, people can download the free smartphone app RecycleRight or visit RecyclingA-Z.com for a list of items that can be processed.
