Recycling can make our resources go farther, but when communities have to go a long way to collect those recyclables, they end up using even more resources.

They have to use fuel for the collection trucks, and they need equipment and people to sort the materials.

All Paper is not Equal

Not all paper can be recycled into new paper products.

Some papers have too many contaminants to recycle. Used paper plates and pizza boxes are not made into new paper products because food cannot be removed during processing. Other contaminants include carbon paper and plastic tape.

There is also a limit to the number of times a piece of paper, a corrugated box or other paper product can be recycled. Each time paper is reprocessed, the wood fibers break down. They eventually get so small that they slip through the screens during the screening process and become waste that goes to a landfill.