Inside a Fairfax-area recycling plant: what can and cannot be recycled

County Magazine's "Trash Talk" segment visited a materials recovery facility near Fairfax County to show how plastics from curbside recycling are processed and what residents should avoid putting in their blue bins.

The on-site worker demonstrated accepted commodities and urged residents to "leave the lid on," explaining that very small items can fall through sorting screens if detached. "Best thing I can tell you is leave the lid on," the worker said, noting that items with a distinct neck are generally recyclable. He said hard plastics with visible necks,…