How to Make Jars Suck Less for Recycling Centres

Typically wrapped in 6-12 old bread bags as an insulating device, the Miramichi Pete Coffee Tumbler® was surprisingly effective as a thermos. The noticeable lack of cleaning was due to my dad’s unique theories regarding immunological hormesis.

When I tell people that my father – the late, great, “Miramichi Pete” Hurley – used an old 500mL peanut butter Jar with a straw stuck through the top as a coffee thermos, they don’t believe me. Some laugh awkwardly. Some back away slowly. Some turn and run. To each their own, I say.

So, let’s just say that when my wife saw that thing for the first time and didn’t immediately bolt, I knew we were forever.

In my last blog, I mentioned how the fibres in your curbside recycling bin can be effectively ruined for recycling in a bad snowstorm. This is one example of contamination in the recycling system that municipalities and recycling operators plan for.

One item that’s harder to plan for? Contamination that comes from the user (that’s you, maybe): half-empty pop bottles, half-full coffee cups, yogurt containers, jam jars… and yes, peanut butter jars too… still full of (possibly expired and really gross) food. These items will burst or open during even mild compaction in the truck, or when they are scooped onto belts at the MRF (Material Recovery Facility, or a Recycling Centre). When their liquid, or half-liquid, contents spill onto paper fibre mixed in around them, it makes that paper material undesirable for recycling – or “contaminated.” Currently, as an example, the City of Toronto has a contamination rate higher than 30%, meaning more than 3/10 of what’s in City blue bins ends up heading to a landfill. Smaller cities operating a two-stream system (like the District of Muskoka 👍) – often have lower contamination rates, but still struggle with the same issues.

Jam, Yogurt, and Peanut Butter can be some of the most problematic food containers inbound at a MRF, as not as many people as you might think take the time to fully rinse those containers. And we get that. It’s messy, it takes time, it’s a general pain. But when containers with those contents burst at a MRF, they can coat the machinery and gears, requiring more maintenance, more cleaning, and more down-time, all of which means less actual recycling and more waste.

I just finished cleaning my most recent PB jar (SIDE NOTE: Sean is looking for some EMPTY 2kg Kraft PB Jars for a cool cycling related re-use project, so reach out to sean@greenishcan.com if you’ve got some in your Blue Bin!) and we’ve outlined some simple steps below to getting your recycling super clean before tossing it into the Blue Bin, ensuring it’s a valuable plastic to recycle for your city or town.

Step by Step Jar Prep for Recycling:

Click through the images below for a handy visual guide on cleaning jars, something you probably think you already knew how to do.

STEP ONE

Have a dirty peanut butter jar.

STEP TWO

Use a small spatula to grab the last bits of PB off the walls and make yourself some toast, you deserve it.

STEP THREE

Add water (doesn’t really need to be hot water) to the Jar and let it sit for 30 minutes. Or… do you have important parental duties like pre-screening the Mandalorian to ensure it’s appropriate for kids? Make it 45 minutes.

STEP FOUR

There will certainly be some residue still in the container after you empty the water – instead of using paper towel, use a sheet of newspaper to scrape the inside clean. The newspaper is big enough to keep the outside of your hand from getting dirty while cleaning out the jar. AND – wet newspaper can be added to most municipal Green Bin systems, so just toss the wet newspaper into your Green Bin (it’ll help soak up liquid in there as well!)

STEP FIVE

And…done. Clean as all heck.

There. Ready for conversion to a Miramichi Pete Coffee Tumbler®, or perfectly prepared for your Blue Bin!

So, while our message remains on reducing and reusing above recycling, when you recycle, just make sure you do it right. It’ll feel good, we promise. Reach out if you have similar tips for recycling better (or how to reuse it first)!

-SH