The State of Recycling in Mecklenburg County

We've finally gotten the definitive list of plastics being recycled in our county, and it's not good.

You may have read an article awhile ago about things getting dire - that China was the "beneficiary" of most of our locally-created plastic refuse. Well, they've stopped buying it. And no one is stepping up to the plate to do anything with it except send it to the landfills. 

The only plastics currently being purchased to melt down and repurpose are bottles with narrower necks than bases (like our smoothie and tonic and dressing bottles). ALL other plastics are being trashed. Yes, even your black Nourish containers. See the chart below for what is not being accepted:

Obviously, this is not OK. We are currently researching how to implement reusable containers permanently, but typically come up against health department regulations that halt the process. We will keep pushing and keep you informed!

In the meantime, WE WANT YOUR #5 PLASTICS.

We have combined forces with Mutual Aid Free Store, who give our containers another life as they provide food for displaced communities in our city. We see them weekly and love the work they're doing. We highly urge you to check them out and support in anyway that you can. 

We also take plastics to Innovation Barn, who run a zero waste initiative and are doing amazing things for our city, state and world. We also encourage you to check them out, take a field trip and get something from their zero waste café.

So! Go ahead - send your containers back with your bag any delivery day you'd like. But we need you to do your part too - please only send us clean, dishwasher'd or handwashed containers. We will be washing them again for donation at our facility, but since your used containers will be travelling with food deliveries on their way back to us, they must be clean for us to accept them. If they aren't, we will have to leave them on your porch.

Thank you so very much for doing your part to keep as much as possible our of our ever-growing landfills. Together, we can make a HUGE difference.

 Ready for more? Read all about our recent award of Three Green Crowns by the City of Charlotte here!