Officials: NJ residents not always recycling the right way

Many New Jersey residents say that they recycle as much as they can, but officials say that they are not always recycling the right items.
Woodbridge recycling coordinator Audrey Rozger says that some people will try to recycle just about anything.
“We get boats sometimes, boats and hot tubs,” she says.
Rozger says that in Woodbridge, items like Styrofoam can’t be recycled curbside and need to be brought to the recycling center.
Some rules on recycling may vary among different municipalities. But officials say that there are some guidelines. Plastic, paper and aluminum can all be recycled together, but officials say not to place the items into a plastic bag, because it can mess up the sorting process.
The Department of Environmental Protection says that plastic shopping bags should be recycled through local supermarket collection programs.
Cardboard pizza boxes that are too greasy cannot be recycled.
“If you had a pizza box you can take out that wax piece of paper in the bottom, throw that out. The rest should be pretty clean,” Rozger says.
The United States could also face a recycling crisis this January. Chinese officials say that the country will no longer accept scrap from the rest of the world. Experts say that this could send U.S. plastic and paper straight to domestic landfills.
Woodbridge plans to open a “reuse it” center this coming fall at the Department of Public Works. Residents will be able to drop off items like bicycles, toys and antiques.