Garbage & Recycling Guidelines

Common Facilities Team
Posted 07/24/20​

Garbage
Heartwood uses a large trash dumpster, located in the east parking lot, for community trash collection. Keep the dumpster door latched at all times to keep critters out. This is especially important during bear season, which is March through December.

• The dumpster is emptied once a week. If the dumpster is full, don’t leave your garbage outside the dumpster. Instead, take your garbage back to your house and wait until the dumpster has been emptied.
• No cardboard or other recyclables in the dumpster. This fills the bin and causes us more expense.
• Large items are to be disposed of privately.

Recycling
We have a central recycling area right in front of the dumpster. Recycling containers are emptied once a week. We have separate containers for cardboard, glass, and paper/plastic.

What is recyclable by TDL:

• Corrugated cardboard goes in the wooden bin adjacent to the dumpster. Break down all corrugated cardboard boxes and put the heavy boards on top so they don’t blow away.
• Glass is separate, rinsed and lids off, and goes only in the small blue recycling containers (and/or bins labelled "Glass Only"). 
• All other mixed use recycling (paper, plastic with recycling numbers 1-7, aseptic containers, and non-corrugated cardboard, such as cereal boxes) goes in the big black container. Crush aluminum cans, tin, plastic jugs and the like to save space in the bin. Standard recycling protocol applies (clean all containers …).
• Remove lids, rinse and recycle lids if recyclable.
• If the recycling container(s) is/are full, take your stuff back home and let CFT know. Don’t leave your recycling sitting outside of a full container.
• Please read the signs posted at the recycling area, which provides a full list of what is and isn't recyclable by our vendor, TDL.

What is NOT recyclable by TDL:

• No plastic grocery and plastic trash bags! They clog the sorting machines. Plastic grocery bags go back to the store for recycling and can also be recycled in the Heartwood store (basement of the Common House).
• Dirty items (please rinse your yogurt, wine, olive oil and the like containers). 
• No plastic rings from beverage six packs (cut the rings for animal safety and throw away). 
• No used or unused tissue or tissue paper (it's too thin). 
• No shiny or glittery (holiday) paper. 
• No styrofoam (unless it has a #6 recycling symbol on it).