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The Official City Newsletter for Arden Hills Residents August/September 2015 by Susan CatheyIt’s been a few months since Arden Hills began single sort recycling with Republic Services so it seems like a good time to check in and see how the process works. Republic defines single sort as “the method of collecting all com- mercial recyclables (office paper, cor- rugated cardboard, newspaper, junk mail and other fibers, plastics, glass, tin and aluminum) together in a single compac- tor and processing them as one stream of material.” The advantages to single sort recycling There are advantages to this method for both the consumer and the collector. No sorting is required by either one, which leads to greater participation by residents, and there is a significant reduction in truck time on the streets, as they can compact the recycled material and carry four times the amount. No separate compartments are required, so cheaper trucks can be used and can do double duty as garbage haulers. About the process What happens to your recycling once that truck takes it away? It is taken to Repub- lic’s facility in North Minneapolis for sort- ing. There are several steps in this process. The pre-sort phase separates out bulky items such as pallets and tires, cardboard (screened both manually and by machine) and trash, which is baled and compacted. Next, there is a screening which separates newspaper, mixed fiber, and containers. In this step, minor contaminants and bro- ken glass are weeded out. Containers are sorted using magnets for iron, a machine called an eddy current separator for aluminum, and optical sorting for plas- tics. When all the sorting is finished, your recycled materials have been divided into many categories: • Clean newspaper • Mixed fiber • Residential cardboard • Plastics • Tin • Aluminum • Glass (three colors and mixed broken) • Trash/residue Products from recyclables Where will all this recycled ma- terial show up next? Of the tin, steel cans, and other metals, nearly all the material can be reused for future products such as new cookware, construction materials, electronics, or even a new bicycle. The alumi- num can be recycled indefinitely into new cans and foil. Recycled paper can become new books, egg cartons, building insulation, boxes, kitty litter, sheetrock, and even kitchen coun- tertops. Cardboard is processed in Republic’s facilities, then turned back into new boxes and other cardstock products. New glass objects, including bottles and fiberglass, are actually easier Single sort recycling--an update Even a bridge out due to construction can’t keep Twin Cities metro steak lovers from their favorite steakhouse destination. And thanks to those dedicated carnivores, Lindey’s Prime Steak House, located at the corner of Snelling Avenue North and County Road E in Arden Hills, has been getting by during the construction on County Road E that has made travel dif- ficult and business slow for the surround- ing area. Also known as “the place for steak,” Lindey’s hasn’t changed much since it opened in 1958. But, that’s what keeps people coming back, according to owner Mark Lindemer, “We do one thing and we do it well, so people know what they’re gonna get when they come.” Lindey’s getting by during County Road E construction continued on page 3 by Emma Theis continued on page 4