Recycling 101 with G&G

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Every container in your G&G meal kits is recyclable! Below is a visual guide of the types of plastics we use so that you can feel confident putting them in your recycling bin or taking them to the appropriate recycling facility. Please note that the plastic numbers that can be recycled in your bins at home will vary from county to county, so make sure to check with your county's recycling program before tossing everything into your bin.

PLASTICS WE USE AT G&G

Image here of packaging we use, labels of plastic # included 

PLASTIC BAGS

While all or most of the hard plastics shown above are likely recyclable from your home, it is important to know that you should not put plastic bags of any kind (including the ones shown above) in your home recycling bin. They will get stuck inside the machinery at processing facilities, which might result in the entirety of your recycling being tossed into the landfill since the facility doesn't have time to sort everything out. This also means that your recycling shouldn't be bagged when you toss it in the bin!

So what in the world should you do with the bags, you ask? Good question. You can drop them off in plastic bag recycling bins, such as the ones you'll see outside of Publix grocery stores, or you can take them to CHaRM, Atlanta's Center for Hard to Recycle Materials.

HARD-TO-RECYCLE ITEMS 

CHaRM is located right outside of Grant Park at 1110 Hill Street SE, Atlanta, GA 30315, but the facility also offers recycling drop offs in Buckhead and Brookhaven/Chamblee every month or two--you can check back for the exact location and dates/times on their website.

CHaRm is also a good option if your county doesn't recycle certain plastic numbers, or if you're simply uncertain about what your county will take and want to make sure it gets recycled properly. If you don't have time to take items you're unsure about to CHaRM, the best option is to toss them in the trash. This way the recycling facility doesn't have to waste precious time and resources sorting the unrecyclable items out of your recyclables--and this makes sure your entire bin of recyclables isn't tossed directly into the landfill since it might be contaminated with non-recyclables. 

CLEAN YOUR RECYCLABLES

On the topic of contamination--it is important that your recyclables are fully rinsed and dried before you toss them in your bin or take them to a recycling facility. Little bits of food, drink or trash left inside of containers will contaminate the item altogether, and in the worst cases, contaminate everything in your bin. 

COMPOSTING

If you're looking to compost any food scraps that you produce in your home, you can use CompostNow. Head to www.compostnow.org/home/garnishandgather to get your first two weeks free! CompostNow will provide you with a 4-gallon compost bin and collect it from your home once a week, and they will take a wide variety of waste that you might not realize is compostable. (Coffee grounds, paper towels & bags, egg shells, pizza boxes, and so much more!)

Did we miss any containers from your meal kit in the photo above? We may have started using a new type of container and haven't had a chance to update the photo. Send us an email so that we can let you know which number the plastic container is!