In the past pizza boxes, plastic bags and trash have been contaminating recycling in the Hartford, CT area. Now with education efforts, recycling habits are quickly making a difference in the loads arriving at the regional recycling center. In May, the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority (MIRA) was able to accept every batch brought to its Murphy Road center. 

In the first eight months of 2020, MIRA rejected six of the 510 loads of recycling brought to the recycling plant. In September 2020. MIRA rejected 13 loads, each of which contained two to five tons of material. 

Over the last few months, a number of cities and towns have educated their customers about recycling using flyers, phone calls and door-knocking to spread the word. 

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