Are You Wish-Cycling?

Wish-Cycling, also known as aspirational recycling, is when we put items in the single stream recycling that we HOPE will be recycled. Worst case, if we are wrong, we assume the sorting facility, also known as the materials recovery facility (MRF), will be able to send it to where it belongs. Wish-cycling begins with the best intentions, but it contributes to the single biggest problem at any recovery facility: contamination.

Be familiar with what your waste hauler accepts. While a material might be recyclable, if it is not accepted by your hauler then it will only serve as contamination. Customers of the City of Golden’s Pay-As-You-Throw waste program can find the list of acceptable items at www.cityofgolden.net/trash.

These common items are NOT accepted in any curbside recycling service:

X Metals such as pipes, rods, spare auto/machine parts, rebar, fencing, horseshoes, and other steel items. These items damage the automated machines that sort recyclables, without which the recycling facilities cannot function. Look for local scrap metal centers to recycle these items, and possibly earn a little money back.

X Plastic Bags. These items get caught in the cog wheels of the automated machines that sort recyclables. Front Range facilities must stop their operations almost hourly to cut plastic bags out of the wheels. Instead, bring bags and wrap to collection sites at stores such as King Soopers and Target.

X Glassware such as vases or drinking cups, ceramics, or window glass. These glass types are treated with reinforcements which require a much higher temperature to melt and can contaminate an entire batch of glass recyclables.

Greenhouse Gas Inventory Update

This year the Community Sustainability Advisory Board spearheaded an effort to update Golden’s greenhouse gas inventory report for the first time since 2010. This report not only estimates the total emissions from Golden’s commercial, residential, and municipal sectors, but also estimates the anticipated impacts of current electrification and energy efficiency efforts. The report will be used to inform future city strategic plans and to guide initiatives as Golden works to align its greenhouse gas emission reductions with the Paris Accord by 2050. The report can be found at www.cityofgolden.net/energy.