Pre-Sorting: Streamlining your Hub Drop-Off
Now that you’ve had the run-down on where to recycle or reuse many of the typical items that you throw away, you may be ready to stop at the Hub. Whether you’re a first-timer or you’ve dropped off at the Hub dozens of times, it can feel overwhelming stepping into the busy drop-off space with a box or bag full of recyclables. One of the best ways to streamline the drop off process is to pre-sort your recyclables as much as possible. In other words, rather than bringing one big bag of all your recyclables, try to sort them at home into the categories used at the Hub. This simplifies things for you, the volunteers and staff at the Hub, and the other folks dropping items off.
There’s no “right” way to pre-sort, and everyone has their own system. That being said, let us give you a few pointers, and show you how some other recyclers and board members sort their items as some recycling inspiration!
The Basics:
First, some general guidance on what we see most often - and likely, what you will too!
Rigid Plastics #5 and #6 are our most common - it might be worth sorting these numbers separately, even if you aren’t pre-sorting every number 2-7. Reminder: #5 tubs and cups are recycled curbside!
Flexible film should be separated from rigid plastics. If you are a Kroger shopper, remember to separate out all Kroger brands (Kroger, Private Selection, and Simple Truth) as well as other Terracycle items (such as granola bar wrappers). Styrofoam may warrant its own container too.
Keep batteries, electronics, digital media, light bulbs, and other items with fees separate - these will be processed by a staff member separate from other recyclables.
Pro Tips:
Now that you’re a sorting expert, here are a few more ideas for reducing your sorting time at the Hub and making things easy at home, too.
Even though it’s important to pre-sort items before coming to the Hub, it can be overwhelming to find the correct bag or box for an item every time you go to throw something away. Consider placing a single container next to your kitchen trash or in another central spot as a catch-all, then take 5-10 minutes each week to sort all the items in that container wherever you store your recycling (in a closet, basement, garage, or less central area of the house).
If you have space, consider keeping smaller items that are sorted into separate bins at home until you have a larger amount, like oral care or dead pens. This will reduce the number of different containers you have to sort into at the Hub - just hit the big ones on most visits! For example, rather than bringing one toothbrush to the Hub, keep it at home until the next time when you also have an empty floss container, a deodorant stick, and a toothpaste tube that all go in the same bin.
Whatever your system, remember to use items you already have around the house, pick up at the Hub, or find second-hand. There’s no need to invest the big bucks in a sorting system, and the environment will thank you for reusing what you already have around! Most folks use paper bags, cardboard boxes, or other easy to find options for sorting.
Ideas from Fellow Recyclers:
Still looking for some inspiration on how to set up a sorting area at home? Whether you have all the space in the world or you’re in a small apartment, there are options to keep your recycling sorted for easy drop-off at the Hub. Here are some ideas from other Hub recyclers.
Board Member Diane lives in an older house with limited storage, so she uses a corner of her house to sort recycling. She set up a laundry sorter for flexible film and numbered plastics, uses a rolling cart for large items, and keeps containers for small items on a nearby shelf.
Fellow Recycler KayAnn repurposed an over-the-door organizer for sorting small items, and uses a small cabinet for plastics.
Fellow Recycler Ami uses an old IKEA shelf with various sized bins to sort small and large items in one central area.
Board Member Oria lives in a small apartment, and keeps a container in the kitchen as a catch-all for items. Once it’s full, she sorts items into large brown paper handled bags that are stored all together in a large box, for easy transport to the Hub.
