Recycling Program
Up to 75% of what people usually throw away can be recycled. Recycling can keep your garbage rate low or allow you to decrease service levels to reduce your monthly bill.
Public Works offers two recycling options for our customers:
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CURBSIDE RECYCLING: Curbside recycling in Petersburg is 'co-mingled' which means that all of your recycle materials can be mixed together. It is very important that everything that you recycle is clean and free of food or debris.
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To sign up for a cart contact Kegan Green or Mike Birch
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RECYCLING AT THE BALER
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You can also take your recycle materials up to the baler for drop off
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While glass is not recycled, you can drop off glass at the baler or at Public Works
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What happens to recyclables?
The recyclables collected from your blue cart are taken to the Borough's baler facility, where they are cleaned and compacted into bales using the same machine that processes trash. These bales are then stored in the facility until there are enough to fill a 40-foot shipping container. Once full, the container is sent to a Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in downtown Seattle, operated by Republic Services. There, the bales are broken apart and sorted. The facility will determine whether the plastic is clean enough to be recycled or if it will be sent to the landfill. Residents can help by ensuring all recyclables are clean. This helps ensure that only the best-quality material is sent to the MRF, improving the chances of successful recycling. Check out this video to see the entire process in action: https://youtu.be/Jda_9_30-WU?si=zAlEL8o-QRNnu6JU
