At the Montgomery County, Maryland, Transfer Station, conveyor belts speed past workers sorting  trash from recyclables. It is a tedious and, at times, dangerous job, as those hunched over the belt are routinely injured by items that should be kept out of recycling bins—everything from knives and  needles to hazardous waste.  And when pesticide containers are commingled with water bottles and tin cans, the entire building is evacuated.

On any given day, 8 percent to 30 percent of recyclables are contaminated or recycled improperly (i.e., there is food residue in containers or items not eligible for recycling are mixed in among plastic water bottles). As a result, all those items you intended for recycling may very well end up in a landfill or the incinerator.

Montgomery County hopes to reach a 70% recycle rate by 2020, which will require raising the public’s awareness of recycling practices and policies. Until then, the county has one broad rule of thumb: when in doubt, keep it out.

Visit Montgomery County Transfer Station