Go Green: How to recycle more efficiently

<p>News 12 Long Island's Elizabeth Hashagen visited the Winters Bros. Waste Systems in West Babylon to take a look at recycling for our Go Green series.</p>

News 12 Staff

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Apr 19, 2017, 12:38 PM

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Updated 2,804 days ago

Go Green: How to recycle more efficiently

It might be time for you to rethink how you recycle!

News 12 Long Island's Elizabeth Hashagen visited the Winters Bros. Waste Systems in West Babylon to take a look at recycling for our Go Green series.

Each person generates about 4.5 pounds of garbage each day. Nationwide, 34 percent of waste is recycled. But on Long Island, only 15 percent is recycled.

To help with recycling, don't put your recyclables into plastic bags - as they can clog the recycling machine and stop the entire process.

When it comes to newspapers, make sure you separate them from plastic bags. You can recycle the bags by bringing them to some groceries stores.

Material that is dirty or contaminated with food products can't be recycled.

Cables, cords and wiring are not recyclable. They also pose a problem inside the plant - because they wrap around the equipment, making it less efficient.

Pizza boxes can be recycled - as long as there is no grease on them.

Boxes are recyclable, but packing material is not.

What are you doing to minimize your footprint? Submit a photo here to show us for #LIGoGreen!