Mark your calendars, Brooklyn Park residents: it's time to get our recycling on. According to the City of Brooklyn Park announcement, "Recycling Week" is taking place from September 23-27, and the city has some friendly reminders to ensure everything goes smoothly. First and foremost, don't forget to roll out your carts to the curb by 6:30 a.m. and give those collection crews space to work their magic until 6:00 p.m.
When you're setting up your cart for pick-up, keep it cozy—just not too close to its neighbors. A three-foot berth should be given around your cart, that is, away from mailboxes, other carts, or any other obstacles. You're aiming for an easy grab, so place your cart in your driveway or on the boulevard, and for the love of logistics, make sure the handle faces away from the street. Remember, carts on the street are a no-go.
Keep it loose! Your recyclables, that is. The city has been clear—no bags inside the cart. Why? Well, plastic bags are straight-up rejected and trashed at the sorting facility, unopened. Not much better, paper bags can cause a real headache when they get stuck in the truck during compaction, rendering their contents unrecyclable once they hit the sorting line.
For those wondering about the fate of that old pizza box or whether you should be recycling your plastic toys, Brooklyn Park has a tech-friendly solution. They've launched the "Brooklyn Park HRG Recycling app," a tool with service alerts and a searchable database to clear up confusion about what can and cannot be reclaimed by the recycle gods. With versions in English, French, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese, it's accessible to many in our diverse community. You can download the app from here.
Recycling Week is more than a municipal chore, it's an opportunity for Brooklyn Park to shine in sustainability efforts. Let's keep those carts rolling and recyclables flowing correctly—our planet thanks you in advance.
