BREA : City Adds Materials to Recycling List

The city has expanded its recycling mix by adding new materials for collection through its curbside recycling program.

Carol Van Ahlers of Brea Disposal Inc. announced last week that Styrofoam, juice boxes and milk cartons may now be included among the recyclable materials that residents put in their green recycling containers.

Also allowed for recycling are plastic glasses, plastic utensils and clear plastic deli containers.

“We always wanted to collect these materials. But there were either no method or facilities for processing them until recently,” Ahlers said.

She said drink boxes are recycled through a process that separates the high-quality paper from the polyethylene coating. Once separated, the high-quality paper is recycled into writing paper or tissue. The residue from the polyethylene is used in plastic lumber products.

Ahlers said the city is among the first in Southern California to collect and process all plastic products.