It’s important to rinse recyclable food containers before putting them in the single-stream recycling bin. Contamination leads to lower valued recyclables, lessening the market for recycled materials. Food residue left in unrinsed recyclables is also harmful to the recycling sorting equipment, draws unwelcome pests to recycling sorting centers and creates unpleasant odors.
If I can't put it in the curbside recycling bin, where can it go?
It is a good idea to rinse out food containers before depositing them into your recycling bin. You do not need to wash them with soap, but ensure items are free of wood residue. When you take the time to do this, you are helping create a cleaner recycling process that is less contaminated. Lower contamination equals higher valued recyclables equals more products made with recycled materials. Also, consider composting your food waste at home.