Fargo-Moorhead Recycles

We’ve all heard the popular slogans, “Go green,” “Give a hoot, don’t pollute,” “Follow the three ‘Rs’: Reduce. Re-use. Recycle.” So much emphasis is placed on the slogans and the idea that “It’s easy bein’ green.” But how do we put it all into practice?

According to the National Recycling Coalition, http://www.nrc-recycle.org: “Recycling is one of the most successful environmental initiatives in our country’s history…Around half of all the people in the United States are now served by curbside collection programs. These programs, along with drop-off and buy-back centers, now help us divert about 33% of the nation’s solid waste stream away from landfills.”

The Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.EPA.gov, boasts that “Recycling is one of the best environmental success stories of the late 20th century...[recycling] diverted 82 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators in 2006, up from 34 million tons in 1990.”

Fargo-Moorhead is helping to make going green a little easier with citywide recycling programs. Residents can drop off recycling at drop sites and recycling centers around the community and Fargo and Moorhead each offer curbside pick-up for those with residential garbage collection.

Recycling is picked up with garbage collection every other week on scheduled garbage collection days. Residents are asked to use blue recycling bins to designate recyclables from other trash. In Fargo curbside recycling is available for three dollars per month, which is charged to one’s city utility bill. Fargo residents may also use small plastic garbage cans or paper bags for recycling, but are asked to label recyclables.

In Moorhead, residents are required to use blue recycling bins, which can be purchased at the Public Works Facility or at City Hall for five dollars each. Instructions for arranging curbside pick up are available for Fargo at http://www.cityoffargo.com, or by contacting the Fargo Recycling Office.  Moorhead residents can find more information at http://www.cityofmoorhead.com, or by calling the Moorhead Operations Department.

Recycling collection is not available for those who live in apartment buildings with commercial dumpsters, but multiple drop-off locations exist in Fargo and Moorhead. Some locations accept all types of recyclables accepted by the city, others only accept certain materials, so check what materials are accepted at your preferred location before making the trip.

The City of Fargo Solid Waste Utility Manager, Terry Ludlun, said that cities charge fees for recycling pick-up to cover the costs of the program. “We get a lot of questions from the public about why it ‘costs’ to recycle. Technically, it doesn’t cost [the public] anything, because the drop sites are free,” he said.

“Anybody can load their things up and take them to the drop sites.” He said that it takes time and energy for workers to go to residential areas to pick up materials, that the fee just recovers that cost.

Recyclables have to be sorted before they can be processed. If you have curbside pickup you can separate materials into paper bags within recycling bins. This should be done before placing items in the designated containers at drop sites as well.

Knowing what is and isn’t accepted for recycling is important. Clear and colored class bottles and jars are accepted in both Fargo and Moorhead, but clear, brown and green glass should be sorted into separate bins or bags. Aluminum cans should also be separated from tin and steel cans, and glossy magazines should be separated from newspapers. Magazines with glued bindings (such as department store catalogues) cannot be accepted. Corrugated cardboard and paper bags are also accepted, but glossy or wax-coated cardboard (such as shoeboxes and soda cases) and very greasy or dirty items (such as pizza boxes and fast food containers) are not. Number one and two plastic bottles and jugs are accepted, and the material number is located on the bottom of most plastic containers. Caps and rings should be removed from bottles and jugs before recycling.

Some items that are not accepted by city recycling programs are accepted at recycling centers or other locations. For example, Minnkota Recycling accepts office and typing paper, envelopes and index cards. Cash Wise Foods and Wal-Mart accept plastic bags.

Ludlun said the main reason Fargo offers recycling programs is to “keep those items out of landfills, and extend the life of the landfills.” Though recycling may take a little extra time, the benefits are demonstrably great.