Paper and Cardboard
Office Paper
If possible, do not shred your office paper. It reduces the length of the paper fibers, which makes it more difficult to reuse in the paper making process. For confidential documents, you could use a permanent black marker to go over the confidential data before putting it into a recycling bin.
Do not recycle brightly colored paper. The dyes in brightly colored paper can ruin entire batches of recyclable materials by releasing it's color as it is heated during the recycling process. Without harmful chemicals to bleach that batch back to white, it is then not able to be reused for the creation of new paper.
Keep paper dry.
Newspaper
Newspapers are recyclable here in San Angelo at Butt's Recycling. The whole newspaper, including inserts, is recyclable. Just keep it dry, and remove it from any plastic bag it may have come in. (That bag can be recycled at local grocery stores).
Do not put newspaper in your curbside recycling cart.
Cardboard, Paperboard, and Chipboard
Corrugated Cardboard boxes are what most people think of when you say "Cardboard". They have a wavy middle layer glued in between two flat layers. These boxes should be broken down into smaller pieces to easily fit inside your curbside recycling cart.
Paperboard boxes, think of a cereal box, should also be broken down to reduce the amount of space they take up.
Chipboard is just a fancy way of saying thick, multi-layer paper. It is also referred to as non-corrugated cardboard, meaning you don't see the wavy layers in the middle. It is all pressed flat and glued together. Chipboard is commonly used in craft projects and comes in a variety of thicknesses and shapes. This is recyclable at Butt's Recycling, but not in your curbside cart.
Both Cardboard, Paperboard, and Chipboard should be kept dry.
Pizza boxes can be partially recycled. Remove the parts of the box that are greasy-spotted, and toss those in with your normal trash. The non-grease covered parts of the box can be added to your curbside recycling cart.
If boxes are lined with plastic, or wax, they are not recyclable. So things like juice boxes and frozen food boxes are not recyclable.
Magazines and Catalogs
Magazines and Catalogs are recyclable here in San Angelo at Butt's Recycling. The whole magazine or catalog, including inserts, is recyclable. Just keep it dry, and remove it from any plastic bag it may have come in. (That bag can be recycled at local grocery stores).
Do not put magazines or catalogs in your curbside recycling cart.
Phone Books, Paperback Books, and Hardcover Books
Yes, phone books, paperback books, and hardcover books are all recyclable at Butt's Recycling here in San Angelo!
There are also thousands of ideas for re-using pages from phone books and books for craft projects. So if you're feeling crafty, give a few of these a try:
https://www.simplemost.com/yellow-pages-clever-ways-reuse-old-phone-books/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/7177680627803573/
Paperback and hardcover books can also be donated to your local library, Goodwill, Salvation Army, or other thrift stores.
