Food containers that look like “tubs” can now be recycled in Covington.
Rumpke expands ‘acceptable’ list in Covington’s curbside program
COVINGTON, Ky. – The “Can this be recycled?” quandary just got easier in Covington, at least when it comes to plastic:
Containers for food products like butter, yogurt, and applesauce – aka “tubs” – can now be thrown into the curbside carts as part of the City of Covington’s recycling program.
In a release titled “Rumpke Recycling Bins Are About to Get Tubby,” Rumpke Waste & Recycling announced it is now collecting and processing those and similar plastic containers after securing long-term contracts with companies that will buy and use the material.
City officials say they’re thrilled.
“That’s been a gap, if you will, in our recycling program for a long time, and we get a lot of questions about it,” said Sheila Fields, Covington’s Solid Waste and Recycling coordinator. “We’re happy to tell people now that yes, you can recycle yogurt and butter tubs.”
Guidelines:
- Not all “tubs” and not all No. 5 containers can be recycled. Look for containers where those two features (the “tub” shape and No. 5 symbol) are both present.
- Empty and rinse out the container.
- Put the lid back on it.
- Do not stack containers together but leave separate.
- Do not put in plastic bags.
Examples of recyclable containers: butter, cottage cheese, yogurt, sour cream, whipped topping, fruit cups (think applesauce and Mandarin oranges), gelatin and pudding snacks, and specialty dips.
These can NOT be recycled: coffee pods, to-go food containers, and so-called “clam shells.”
On a side note, here’s a reminder from Rumpke that just because a container has a “chasing arrows” symbol doesn’t necessarily mean it can be recycled. The number stamped inside the traditional recycling symbol is actually a resin identification code that identifies that type of plastic used.
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