Are you a Wish-Cycler?
Wish-Cycling happens when you toss something into your recycling bin that should be thrown in the trash, but you wish for it to be recycled. High contamination in the single-stream recycling is costly, and counterproductive.

Please keep the recycling stream clean!

Contaminants to Avoid in Fairfield’s Recycling Stream
BLACK PLASTIC is a non-recyclable plastic, due to highly dangerous toxins released during the recycling process. Always discard black plastic in the trash.

PLASTIC BAGS and PLASTIC FILMS: including candy wrappers, chip bags, bubble wrap and plastic mailers. They may say “recyclable” on the package but they are not single-stream recyclable. Look for retailers that collect plastic film products.

BATTERIES and LIGHTBULBS are recyclable, but not single-stream recyclable. Bring these to the Transfer Station, with your Beach/Dump sticker.

CLOTHING and TEXTILES are recyclable, but are not single-stream recyclable. Donate usable clothing to a local charity shop. Bring unusable clothing and textile scraps to the Bay State collection site at the Transfer Station, with your Beach/Dump sticker or at a participating school.www.baystatetextiles.com/what-we-do-dont-accept.

PLASTIC-LINED PAPER CUPS and ICE CREAM CONTAINERS: Most liquid-holding packaging and frozen food containers are lined with a plastic coating, making them unrecyclable. Always discard these, straws and plastic takeout cup tops in the trash.

POLYSTYRENE and STYROFOAM: Polystyrene foam, commonly called styrofoam has low density and is very lightweight, which makes it unsuitable for automated sorting during the recycling process. Please reduce your use of products containing this material, and discard in the trash.

SMALL PLASTICS such as medicine bottles, loose caps and any item under 2 inches (like to-go containers for dressings) are too small for single-stream machines to sort and bundle.

SHREDDED PAPER picks up moisture and other contaminants, and jams the processing machinery. Always discard shredded paper in the trash.

The list is not limited to these items. A good resource is www.RecycleCT.com