Recycling 101: What Happens After You Drop It Off at WRG
When you drop your recycling off at Western Resources Group (WRG), your work isn’t finished—but it is just beginning. Understanding what happens next helps explain why proper sorting and clean materials are so important to successful recycling.
Step 1: Collection and Initial Sorting
At WRG, materials are separated by type when placed in the correct bins—cardboard, plastics, metals, glass, paper, electronics, and specialty items like batteries. Each material follows a different processing path, and contamination at this stage can slow or even stop the process.
Items that don’t belong—such as trash bags, food waste, hoses, cords, or non-recyclable items—must be manually removed. This takes time, labor, and resources that could otherwise be used to process clean recyclables.
Step 2: Processing Materials
Each recyclable material is handled differently:
Cardboard is flattened and baled for shipment.
Plastics #1–#7 are sorted and prepared for further processing, with soft plastics handled separately through Hefty® ReNew bags.
Metals like aluminum and tin are separated and baled.
Glass is collected and prepared for reuse or recycling.
Electronics are carefully dismantled to recover valuable components.
Batteries are safely managed due to fire risk.
Clean, dry materials move efficiently through this process. Contaminated materials often cannot.
Step 3: Shipping to End Markets
Once materials are processed, they are shipped to manufacturers who turn them into new products. This is where recycling comes full circle—old materials becoming new items instead of ending up in a landfill.
Why Clean Recycling Matters
Contamination increases costs, slows processing, and can cause entire loads to be rejected. When recycling is done right:
Less material goes to the landfill
Processing costs stay lower
Recycling programs remain sustainable
Worker safety improves
Every clean item makes a difference.
How You Can Help
Empty and rinse containers
Break down cardboard boxes
Keep trash and bagged items out of recycling
Follow WRG’s accepted materials guidelines
Recycling works best when we all do our part.