DeKalb sanitation narrows single‑stream recycling to plastics 1 and 2, asks residents to ‘recycle right’

Tracy Hutchins, a member of DeKalb County sanitation staff, told the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee that the county has changed its residential single‑stream recycling rules because the contractor, Pratt, is rejecting low‑value and contaminating material.

Hutchins said the county now accepts only plastics labeled 1 and 2 in the blue county‑issued roll cart and that plastics labeled 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are no longer accepted in the curbside program. She said shredded paper should not be placed in residential recycling carts because the small pieces damage equipment and lose fiber value. Hutchins also reiterated that plastic bags, hazardous materials and bagged…