Do my recyclables actually get recycled, or does it all get thrown away?

Recyclables get recycled. Recycling is a huge industry in Spartanburg and in South Carolina, and there is value in recyclable materials. Recyclables that the City collects from your curbside roll cart are delivered by City trucks to local processors who are responsible for sorting and separating recyclables and selling them on the open market to manufacturers who then process those materials into new goods. 

While recycling is important, it's just one step in the "3 R's" process, and we encourage reducing waste, reusing products, and recycling materials that are accepted in our municipal program. We urge residents to consider the "end-of-life" disposal options for any product they buy, and encourage residents to look into packaging for goods they purchase in order to make informed decisions on the products they buy. Purchasing products made from recycled materials helps keep the recycling process sustainable by creating demand, conserving resources, and supporting a strong economic market for recycled materials. 

The well-known "chasing arrows" recycling symbol represents the three steps in the recycling process: 

-Step 1: your recyclables make it into your City roll cart and get taken to a local processorrecycle-symbol-stock-rubber-stamp

-Step 2: a manufacturer buys those raw materials from the processor and uses them to manufacture new goods

-Step 3: consumers "close the loop" by purchasing goods made from those recycled materials. 

Show All Answers

1. What do you accept for recycling in the blue roll carts?
2. Why is the city no longer accepting glass?
3. Is this glass situation unique to Spartanburg?
4. Can I take my glass to the County's recycling centers?
5. How do I dispose of paint, fluorescent tubes/bulbs, batteries, hazardous materials, medications, or syringes?
6. How do I recycle an item that isn't listed on your website?
7. Why can't I recycle Styrofoam, plastic bags, etc.?
8. How do I recycle electronics, what is "e-waste," where do I recycled electronics?
9. How do I recycle tires?
10. I heard someone goes through all the trash, so there's no point in separating it into different roll carts. Is that true?
11. Do my recyclables actually get recycled, or does it all get thrown away?