Random question

[Mr. Illini]

Something I was wondering the other day but found limited information on across the net, so I thought I would turn to Atlas Off-Topic.

What do most recycling companies do when non-recyclable items are mixed into people's recycling and then into the plant's general inventory? I have heard before that it forces them to throw out large quantities of recycling, but other times I have heard that they are able to dispose of only the trash during the sorting process (they do sort paper from plastic from glass etc.).

Well, just another random pondering that I want an answer to. Thanks in advance.

[dead0man]

My guess is that would depend on who is doing the recycling.  Some people do it one way, others do it differently.  For example, here in Omaha all the recycling stuff goes into one tub and they do the separating at the facility.

[King]

Demand matters. There's a lot more interest and money in recycled aluminum compared to paper or plastic, so there will be more of an effort to sort and salvage through for cans by recyclers.

Otherwise they kind just let it pile up.