Recycling plays a big role in reducing landfill waste, but not everything can—or should—go in your bin. That’s not because the recycling system is broken. It’s because many of the products we buy aren’t made with recycling in mind.
Here at Millennium Recycling, we process around 100 million pounds of material each year from Sioux Falls and the surrounding region. But we also have to throw away a lot of what comes in (about 5%), not because we want to—but because some materials simply can’t be recycled in our system.
It’s Not Just About Consumer Choices
Recycling has long been framed as the consumer’s responsibility. But the truth is, we throw out a lot because we’re sold a lot. Most packaging is designed for shelf appeal and convenience—not for recyclability.
Even when people try to recycle the right way, the packaging itself may not be recyclable due to how it’s made. That’s not the public’s fault, and it’s not the recycling facility’s fault either. It’s a design issue that starts with the manufacturers.
What We Can Recycle in Sioux Falls
Millennium uses a single-stream recycling system, meaning all accepted items go into one bin and are sorted by type at our facility. This includes:
- Aluminum and steel cans
- Paper, cardboard and cartons
- Plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs
- Glass bottles and jars
These materials can be sorted by our equipment and sold to buyers that turn them into new products.
What We Can’t Recycle
Some packaging just isn’t made to be recyclable. We can’t accept:
- Plastic bags, film, or wrap
- Styrofoam and other foam packaging
- Black plastic trays
- Plastic utensils, straws, or to-go containers
- Flexible pouches and wrappers (like chip bags or granola bar wrappers)
These materials either jam our machines, contaminate other recyclables, or have no viable market to send them to—even if they have a recycling symbol on them.
Why This Happens
Most recycling programs are managed locally, but the packaging that enters those systems is created and distributed nationally or globally. That disconnect means local recyclers are stuck trying to sort out materials that were never meant to be recycled in the first place.
To fix this, we need more than better sorting—we need better packaging.
The Bigger Solution: Extended Producer Responsibility
Extended Producer Responsibility, or EPR, is a policy approach that shifts some of the responsibility for recycling back to the companies that make products and packaging.
With EPR in place, producers help fund recycling systems, design packaging that can be recycled, and standardize materials so recycling programs across the country can work more efficiently.
Some states have already adopted EPR laws for packaging—like Maine and Oregon—and others are exploring similar policies.
What You Can Do
While we can’t recycle everything yet, you can help by:
- Learning what’s accepted in our system and sticking to it. Check the Accepted Items list or use the BINfluencer Tool to be sure.
- Avoiding “wish-cycling”—putting something in the bin and hoping it’s recyclable. If it’s not accepted, it can do more harm than good.
- Supporting smarter packaging choices when you shop, and looking for products that use materials we can accept locally.
- Advocating for better policies that hold manufacturers responsible for the full life cycle of their packaging.
Millennium’s Role
We’re here to recover as much as possible, but there’s a limit to what any facility can do when products aren’t designed with recycling in mind. It’s going to take better product design, smarter policy, and continued public participation to build a truly effective recycling system.
Keep recycling right—and keep learning. Together, we can make the system work better for everyone.
Have a Recycling Question? Contact Us!