It has crossed my mind a few times but I always assumed that they washed it all again at the recycling plant. I often just rinse them out quickly. Sounds like a little research is in order...

I think about this probably 10 times a day! And my battle as well has been all the water i'm using to clean out these containers! thanks for clearing this up

I also asumed that glass bottles were rinsed at the recycling plant. Thank you for pointing out this need for consideration!! I live in NYC now, but the recycling program that I experienced in Toronto was incredible - green bins for every home and garbage cans on the street has sections for trash, paper, plastic and some even had compost!

visit my blog http://www.livelovenyc.blogspot.com

Thank you, Alicia, for doing all this homework for us! I really appreciate all your work. It's nice to get your emails every morning. They keep me on my toes! LOL. 

I am a Natural Hygienist, and I work so much on diet, exercise, and all the other conditions of optimal health, that it's nice to know you're out there helping me!! hehe

......ana xxoo

This information is really helpful. Thanks!  I used to have to transport my recycles to another city.  I would let them pile up in boxes in the open shed until I had time to take them to 'town'.  They were clean as far as food goes - not stinky.  But sitting in the open shed, they gathered some dust and I always wondered if the dust was a problem.  Thank you!!!

Thanks so much for this info, as I always had wondered about it too, but somehow I never looked it up.

I never worry about how much water I use in my house, though.  Since I became vegan and I don't contribute to all the water being wasted in animal slaughtering facilities, I figure I have saved enough water.  I could leave my shower running for six months and not be using as much water as meat-eating neighbors!  So I don't think about the water in my house.  ^_^

I actually went to a recycling class that my city offered - yes, I'm a total geek - and they said it's more about what you want for your own garbage, i.e. do you care if your garbage stinks, or if you get raccoons. I usually do a quick rinse and throw them in.

BTW, Earth911 just did a really nice article on my new line of shoes - here's a link

http://earth911.com/news/2011/10/10/michigan-mom-starts-recycled-shoe-line/

I had searched a while back when my city started offering curbside service and the site just said to rinse - knowing that rinsing has many different "levels" I thought about what was mentioned earlier - how long would I want xxxx sitting in the bin rotting away?!  (we only get service every other week, so I rinse well!)..

Thanks! 

this in interesting,

here in Chicago

I don't think we need to worry to much,

though I've been there,

as they have recylcing at Whole Foods- no sinks etc.

But good to check area

I guess I don't think about it as much anymore due to that fact in stores

though I have thoroughly washed everything

But we all need to keep doing this!

cool water bottles make good vases too!!!

what else would be cool is to donate cans etc to earth ship building places, they use like coke cans etc. also glass bottles

:)

I love this post because I recently learned that the tops to our bottles (which are plastic) are not recycled during the regular recycling process.  I take them off and thankfully my son's elementary school recycles the plastic tops for us but I wouldn't know where else to bring them if they didn't.  Does anyone know how else the tops can be recycled?

I like to run hot water into the bottles until about a third or half-full, replace the cap and then shake vigorously for 30-60 seconds or so. Add a drop of soap, too, if the sticky is too sticky. :)

do you know what's SO interesting?  i live in the most upscale city in pittsburgh, and WE DON'T RECYCLE because, according to the local aristocrats, the cost of recycling outweighs the value.  that angers me so much!  so, i recycle.  but i drive my glass containers my parents' house every fortnight.  they recycle it for me.  

i'm very aware of scraping every little last bit of residue from the containers because i'm a neat freak.  so i very much resonate with this post.  :) 

http://www.nicoleandgwendolyn.com 

Whenever I do my dishes, I just add the tins and bottles for recycling to this, and thus save water. It's actually not that big a deal...just be careful of those sharp tin edges and place the tin lids inside the tins so that whoever comes to pick up the goods won't cut themselves.

I ususally try and rinse things immediately or at least put some water in it.  If I forget or don't have time I spray some vinegar water into the can/container, let it soak for several minutes and then rinse with hot water.  This looosens up any dried residue usually it's no problem getting it pretty clean AND the vinegar helps deodorize as well.  I always keep a spray bottle of vinegar water on my counter.

I work at the Michigan State University Recyling Center and we get some really nasty recyclabes that clearly havent been cleaned at all, and they are still recycled along with everything else. The only reason it wouldnt be is if something is in a bag that is too gross for anyone to sort through, in which case it may get thrown away. So just dont through a bunch of food-or-otherwise-soiled recyclabes in a bag together and you should be good. 

However, I still encourage people to at least attempt to rinse their recyclables. It is much more pleasant dealing with semi-clean reclcyables than ones that looks and smell like they've been rotting in food waste for days!!