Single Stream Recycling

Recycling benefits everyone, and although it is beneficial, it is not always as easy as throwing your waste away. We understand how difficult and time consuming it can be for our consumers to bundle and separate all of their recyclables each week. That is why we have adopted a new recycling method, Single Stream Recycling. This innovative process allows the consumer to have the freedom of commingling all of their recyclables, putting all recyclables unbundled in one container. Single Stream Recycling is a process that benefits the consumer, the planet and the recycling removal company.

The goal of Single Stream Recycling is to make recycling easier for the consumers and the recycling removal companies. Reducing your duty of sorting the recyclables might result in more recyclables going into your recycling container. The goal for Americans is to recycle at least 35% of their refuse. Please, join American Disposal Services and our Go Green Initiative in exceeding that goal by calling one of our friendly customer service representatives today to ask how you can get involved. We offer Single Stream Recycling to our Residential, Commercial, Roll-Off and Compactor customers.

What is Single Stream Recycling?

Single Stream Recycling is a new technology that allows participants to place all of their recyclables into one container. This type of recycling eliminates the need to separate glass, paper, cardboard, aluminum, steel, etc. into separate bins; which, in turn eliminates the necessity of multiple collection containers.

How Does Single Stream Recycling Work?

Single Stream Recycling works by a single conveyer belt, or stream. All recyclables are loaded onto this stream. They are then transferred to the sorting chamber, where various instruments are used to screen and identify the different materials. After sorting, the items are removed from the stream by magnets, air jets and other mechanical means. There are ongoing studies with this technology that can only improve Single Stream Recycling by making it more viable and economically efficient to the American people.

What is Recyclable?

Acceptable recycling include: aluminum cans, aluminum foil & trays rinsed and cleaned, metal food & beverage cans, clear & colored glass, #1 through #7 plastics bottles, wide mouth plastic containers and rigid plastics. Newspapers, mixed paper, junk mail, magazines, phone books and catalogs. Empty aerosol cans. Cardboard boxes must be broken down and flattened no bigger than 3X3 feet. For larger cardboard boxes i.e. moving boxes, they must be cut down to 3X3 feet and flattened. These items may be commingled in the same recycling container. We prefer you do not use plastic bags for recycling.

Unacceptable recycling items are plastic food trays and cups, clam-shell containers, light bulbs, glassware, ceramics, pots and pans, paper plates and napkins, batteries, Styrofoam cups, plates, bowls and to go food containers.

Download Single Stream Newsletter (PDF)