Recycle or send it to the landfill? That is the question asked by many an individual who has held an empty tub of cream cheese, a discarded pizza box, a used pie tin, or a bare bottle of laundry detergent.

For decades we have been trained to recycle aluminum cans, newspapers, and plastic water bottles — just toss them into the blue commingle barrel for curbside pickup.

But what about those oddly-shaped receptacles that fill up your grocery bags after a trip to the supermarket? It turns out that an increasing number of these items can also be recycled in your blue commingle barrel. But there are some gray areas and you need to do your homework about what is acceptable, rather than tossing everything into the barrel and hoping for the best.

Where do recyclables go after curbside pick up?

Republic Services operates a facility in northeast Bend close to Empire Boulevard. All of its recycle trucks drop their commingled loads there. Cascade Disposal trucks drop commingled recyclables there, too.

After entering at the facility, trucks are weighed so the companies know exactly how much is picked up on each route — information that can help the disposal company plan its routes. The trucks back into the facility where they push their loads onto the floor of the building, using a blade inside the truck that moves back and forth.

At this point are the paper, plastic, and metal items separated?

The facility in Bend does not separate the recyclable material. Instead, the recyclables are pushed onto a conveyor belt where they are moved into a gigantic baling machine. Bales of compressed cardboard boxes, plastic, and metal emerge slowly from the other side of the machine, where a forklift operator then stacks the bales against a wall.

Where do the bales go from Bend?

A third-party company arrives at the Republic Services facility to haul the bales away. The bales are driven over the Santiam Pass to Portland where they are taken to a Material Recovery Facility (nicknamed: MRF) for sorting. Once sorted, the materials are sold to other companies for processing into new products. Metals go to smelters, paper goes to a paper mill and plastic goes to a facility where it is washed and ground up.

On an average weekday, around 90 bales, each weighing around 1400-1800 pounds, are hauled out of Bend.

What happens to items that cannot be recycled?

At the Portland facility, items that are not suited for recycling are sorted out during the recycling process and are sent to the landfill. They are known as “contaminants.” Jeremy Walters, a spokesperson for Republic Services, says contaminants create several challenges at the recycling center. Plastic bags, for example, can wrap and tangle around sorting equipment causing jams or major delays.

What will garbage truck drivers do if they spot items that should not be in the recycle bin?

If an item that does not belong in the blue barrel is sticking out of the top the driver will not pick up the barrel. The driver instead reports the location and the service company will inform the homeowner to remove the object.

If the driver sees a “contaminant” (items not permitted in the blue barrel) pouring out at the time of pick up he makes a note of which home caused the violation. Later, the disposal company will reach out to the homeowner by phone and help to educate them on what items are permitted and what are not in the blue barrel.

Will cans or bottles tossed into a trash can on the street eventually get sorted out and recycled?

No. Once materials are deposited in a waste container they are destined for the landfill. This includes items left in trash cans on the city streets of Bend and those in parks and playgrounds. If you want to ensure your item is recycled, keep it with you until you can find a blue bin.

Is glass recycled in Bend?

Glass containers are picked up by Republic Services and Cascade Disposal but they are not recycled in Bend. They are also shipped to a processing plant in Portland.

How do I know what is recyclable and what’s not?

As a rule of thumb, tin and aluminum cans should go in the blue barrel, along with clean cardboard, newspapers, and mail. Shredded paper is OK but not confetti. You can include plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs (but throw away the lids and caps). Flexible plastics like grocery bags and bubble wrap should never be placed in your recycling bin.

There are many online resources that can help you determine what is acceptable for the blue bin. Cascades Disposal has a handy “wizard” on its website (cascadesdisposal.com) that allows users to type in an item and determine if it’s recyclable or not. Republic Services also offers guidance on its website (recyclingsimplified.com).

You can also for guidance on the label. Above the triangular “chasing arrows” symbol, you may see simple instructions on how to recycle the item (you may need a magnifying glass to read some of them). The website how2recycle.info provides more details on the instructions. And just because there is no chasing arrow symbol does not mean it can’t be recycled. Some containers don’t have the symbol but you can still put them in the blue bin.

The best thing you can do to know if something is recyclable is to check with your local service provider.

What about plastic food containers, like tubs of margarine, cream cheese, cottage cheese and yogurt?

All these containers can be recycled but they need to be washed and dried before putting them in the barrel. Also, throw away any aluminum or plastic lids/covers, those mixed materials can’t be recycled.

Are small items like bottle caps recycled?

The rule of thumb is that items smaller than a credit card won’t be recycled and should not be left loose at the bottom of the blue barrel. But they can be left screwed onto the containers.

For metal bottle caps, you can collect these in a tin can, then squeeze the can shut and put it in the recycle bin.

What food/beverage containers are not permitted?

Plastic clamshell containers are also not permitted. Also not permitted are containers that are typically made of cardboard, a plastic film and hard plastic screw tops.

Those would include half-gallon cartons of milk or orange juice, boxed eggs, broth containers, and almond milk cartons.

Some of these items can be recycled in other regions (the chasing arrow symbol appears on some containers and cartons) but this service is not yet available for Central Oregon residents (check the Carton Council for updates on this space — recyclecartons.com)

Can shampoo and detergent containers be recycled?

Yes. Laundry detergent bottles, dishwashing soap bottles, and shampoo bottles can be recycled. They need to be empty, clean, and dry.

What about cardboard and paper to-go products that come from restaurants?

Paper and cardboard products soiled with food or grease cannot be recycled. Even that Mcdonald’s paper bag has to go in the trash if there are fry grease stains on it. Used pizza boxes are typically thrown in the trash, but if there is a clean portion you can tear that part off and recycle it.

Walters, from Republic Services, advises that one way to cut down on the amount of waste from fast food dining is to forgo disposable napkins, cutlery, and condiment packets. “Take your meal home and enjoy it with reusable materials like silverware and cloth napkins,” he says.

The big takeaways?

What the garbage companies all emphasize is that only clean and dry receptacles can be added to the blue bin. If you toss in a bottle of ketchup (for example) with some ketchup still inside, it will “explode” in the baling machine and contaminate the other recyclables. Any product soiled with the ketchup will be taken out of the stream and sent to the landfill, even if they were recyclable. In addition, cleaning is not enough, the product must also be dry — leave no more than a teaspoon of water in the container.

It’s also worth noting that not all recycling facilities have the same technology so what is acceptable at one may not be at another. If you’ve recently moved to Bend from out-of-state, familiarize yourself with local recycling capabilities by checking your service provider’s website.

What are the most common things that appear in blue barrels that cannot be recycled?

Walters says food and liquid are one of the most common contaminants in the recycling stream. He adds that recyclables should never be bagged. Instead, throw them loose into your curbside recycling container. Common items that cannot be placed into the recycling container include:

• Flexible plastics, such as bags and wrappers
• Styrofoam
• Soiled paper or cardboard boxes
• Electronics and batteries
• Yard waste
• Diapers
• Clothing and shoes
• Tools
• Toys
• Construction debris
• Medical waste
• Scrap metal

What are items that people are putting in the trash that could be recycled?

Walters reminds the public that there are several items that should always be recycled:

• Paper: Magazines, junk mail (cut out the plastic “windows”), catalogs, phone books, paper, paper bags, mixed paper, envelopes, shredded strips of paper (not confetti), newspaper (or anything that comes in the newspaper), wrapping paper (no foil or ribbon)
• Cardboard: Flattened corrugated cardboard (no waxed cardboard or frozen food boxes), cereal, cracker, soda & beer cartons, paper egg cartons, and paper towel tubes.
• Plastic Containers: Plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs. Remember to rinse items free of residual food and liquid.
• Tin and Aluminum: Food and beverage cans (labels OK), clean foil, pie tins & trays. Remember to rinse items free of residual food and liquid.

Besides paper, plastic, and metal, what else can I recycle?

Some non-blue barrel items can be recycled by taking them directly to Knott Landfill or one of the Deschutes County transfer stations. Items that can be recycled for free include auto batteries, some electronics, lawnmowers, motor oil, paints and stains, propane tanks, and scrap metal. There are a number of other items that can be recycled for a fee, including appliances, antifreeze, and tires. See the Deschutes County solid waste website for details on what is accepted and where it needs to be taken.