Republic Services general manager Steve Derus at the company's warehouse. Photo: John Frank/Axios
If you want to ensure your recycling actually gets recycled, Derus shared his tips. "The smarter people are about recycling the right stuff, the better we are," he says.
If you're unsure whether it's recyclable, throw it out, he says.
Don't put recycling in a plastic trash bag; empty the bag into the cart. The sorters don't have time to open plastic bags, so they go directly to the trash.
Soiled pizza boxes are not recyclable.
Empty, rinse and dry recyclable materials before putting them in the cart. The material is determined by the machine based on weight, so don't leave any liquid in the container.
