Are you recycling wrong? NJ county launches program for can carriers

⚫ A new program targets modern-day can carriers

⚫ Most are recyclable but may not be able to enter the same stream as other items

⚫ 3 drop-off locations have been announced

The animal-friendly carriers that attach to the top of beer and hard seltzer cans may be recyclable, but they can't always be dumped into the same container as your other plastic.

So, a New Jersey county has launched a program to give residents an easy way to recycle the modern-day carriers that are replacing plastic-ring holders.

Drop-off locations have been created, so that residents who want to recycle the carriers (also known as handles) can be sure that they're getting to the right spot.

On Monday, the Burlington County Department of Solid Waste and Recycling announced that starting this month, residents can bring their used drink carriers to the county's resource recovery complex (22000 Burlington-Columbus Road, Florence).

The handles can also be taken to Farm Truck Brewing in Medford or Zed's Beer in Evesham.

The program is a partnership between the county, plastic carrier manufacturer PakTech, and the two breweries.

PakTech's carriers are widely used by breweries, as well as major drink brands like Pepsi and Ocean Spray.

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Unlike the cans they carry, the handles should not be placed in curbside recycling bins, according to county officials. They're recyclable, but can't be processed through the county's single-stream recycling program.

"Collecting plastic drink carriers might seem small but it is another way for us to keep common plastic items out of our landfill," said Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson. "It helps protect our environment and promotes recycling and sustainability."

Carriers dropped off at the recycling center will be processed with the other plastics that are recycled in the county. Carriers taken to the breweries will be washed and reused — damaged ones will be collected by the county for recycling.

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