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Paper beverage cups and paper take-out containers no longer need to hit the trashcan, according to the county’s recycler, Millennium Recycling of Sioux Falls.
Millennium president Shannon Dwire said paper cups were once thought to be non-recyclable due to their plastic lining. The lining is added to insulate the cup and prevent leaks.
However, a growing number of mills recognize these cups as a source of high-quality fiber, and Millennium is able to collect and recycle the clean usable cups. They are remade into new products like tissue boxes and pulp to make new cups.
The paper food baskets are also recyclable.
Both containers are taken to WestRock in St. Paul. The company processes the materials into 100-percent recycled paperboard.
Millennium partnered with the Foodservice Packaging Institute to add paper cups and containers to its recycling list.
“We are committed to giving our customers in Sioux Falls, Yankton, Huron, southwest Minnesota and beyond the opportunity to provide a new life for recycled cups — not just send them to the landfill,” Dwire said.
Each year Millennium processes about 50,000 tons of recyclables including plastic bottles, metal cans, glass jars, paper and cardboard.
However, before recycling beverage cups, consumers need to remove lids, straws and stirrers and put them in the trash. Only clean and empty paper cups and food containers are appropriate to be recycled.
For a complete list of recyclable materials, visit millenniumrecycling.com.
In 2018 Rock County transported about 257 tons of residential recyclables to Millennium for processing.
The local processing of residential recyclables was discontinued in 2015.