NIH has improved its recycling program to meet new requirements, increase the amount of materials recycled at NIH, and reduce the amount of solid waste that goes into local landfills. The improvements will affect several types of recyclable materials, including paper and plastic. All NIH employees should make small changes in their everyday recycling routine to meet the new requirements. Information on the new recycling opportunities is provided below:

Paper

• It is illegal to dispose of white and mixed paper items in the regular trash in Montgomery County. Look for your closest recycling container.
• White Office Paper and Mixed Paper no longer need to be recycled separately. You may dispose of the following paper items in the new single paper container, labeled All Paper Products:
  • White paper (any color ink)
  • Office stationery
  • Copier paper
  • White and green/white computer paper
  • Newspaper
  • Shredded paper
  • Magazines
  • Envelopes
  • Colored paper
  • Manila folders
  • Post-it-notes
  • Telephone books
  • Kraft paper
  • All other clean, dry paper

Plastics

• NIH has expanded the types of plastics that can be recycled in Commingled labeled containers to now include plastic products and empty containers labeled with resin codes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7. Resin codes can be found on the bottom of plastic containers. Polystyrene products, resin code 6, are not acceptable.
• You can now recycle other plastic items, including:
  • Empty plastic food product containers of any shape and size
  • Detergent bottles
  • Plastic food utensils
  • Grocery and retail plastic bags
  • Blister packs
  • Shrink wrap
  • Bubble wrap
  • Trash can liners
  • Produce/newspaper/bread/ frozen food bags
  • Food storage containers
  
  
• All items must be free of food residue and contamination from hazardous chemicals, radioactive materials, or infectious substances.
• No empty containers that previously contained hazardous chemicals, radioactive materials, or infectious substances accepted.
• Items must fit into the Commingled recycling collection containers.

Aluminum

• You should continue to recycle empty aluminum beverage cans and aluminum foil in the Aluminum Cans recycling collection containers.
• In the future, you may recycle aluminum items in the Commingled containers. These containers will have a new label showing “Aluminum Cans/Foil” to signify this change.

Paperboard

• Kleenex, paper towel, and file folder boxes are examples of paperboard.
• Paperboard must be recycled with cardboard. Please keep paperboard out of the trash.
• Paperboard and cardboard are collected from building corridors and loading docks.

If you have questions about recycling issues or need recycling containers for your work area, please call the ORF Division of Environmental Protection office at 301-496-7990.