A local garbage hauler is jumping into the curbside recycling business.

Baker Sanitation Inc. is launching the service for customers in Montezuma County. For an extra fee, they will accept paper, cardboard, metal and certain plastics that are separated out.

"Some people have already signed up," said BSI chairman John Stramel. "We will be delivering 96 gallon recycling containers in July."

Bi-monthly pickups will start after Aug. 1, he said.

The recyclables will be delivered to the Montezuma County Landfill, which recently modified operations to process them. They will bale and sell the commodities to cover their labor and baling costs.

But for the service to work, customers prepare the recyclables in a certain way, said landfill manager Shak Powers.

"If the loads are contaminated, then we lose the ability to properly recycle," he said. "We're requiring that the recyclables be bagged separately, and cardboard be stacked, but not bagged."

Powers emphasized the importance of following the recycling requirements.

Plastics requirements

Only No. 1 and No. 2 plastics can be recycled. The plastic type is listed on the product.

No. 1 plastics include containers for water, cooking oil, soda, mouthwash, peanut butter, ketchup and salad dressing.

No. 2 plastics include trash and grocery bags, and containers for milk, water, juice, detergent, bleach, margarine, shampoo and motor oil.

Plastics tips

Remove tops from plastic containers so they crush better

Rinse all bottles and cans

Avoid yogurt containers, most of which are not in the No. 1 or No. 2 category.

Bagging requirements

Bag No. 1 and No 2 plastics together.

Bag tin, metal and aluminum together

Bag mixed paper together

Stack cardboard together. Cardboard must be corrugated and free of grease and dirt. Do not include pressed-paper board used to box and package many products - they are not cardboard.

Paper recyclables

Mixed paper includes newsprint, office and school paper, telephone books, mail, brochures, pamphlets and booklets as well as cereal, cake, chip and cracker boxes.

Remove the liner and all food from the box and flatten it.

Non-recyclable paper includes tissue, waxed and carbon paper. Also exclude glossy magazines and catalogs.

Why it matters

The reason is that Western Excelsior, of Mancos, is a main landfill customer for mixed paper for its hydro-mulch operation can't use glossy magazines and catalogs. The hydro mulch is turned into a liquid that is applied to the ground to secure soil for reseeding projects, such as for highway projects.

"They are a local buyer, so we want to accommodate their needs," Powers said.

"We're providing a product, so we want to take pride in what we produce and do it right," he said.

For more information on signing up for recycling service from Baker Sanitation, call (970) 565-1212.

jmimiaga@cortezjournal.com