How do municipal sanitation departments separate recyclables?

Nuclear?

I don’t see that on this list.

I remember hearing that around here, at least (northern California), mixed recyclables are separated in water that’s spun around in giant containers. I pictured something like a huge top-loading washing machine. Paper, for example, flushes out while glass goes to the bottom. Don’t know if that’s true now or ever was, but it shouldn’t be hard to research.

Like this.

What would Joe blow citizen have for nuclear waste?

@SQUEEKY2 I think the OP means new clear waste. Plastics or whatnot.

Lokk at the details @RedDeerGuy1 paper, glass, plastic, aluminum, and nuclear.

@SQUEEKY2 Sorry I thought It was a typo.

Our town uses inmates to operate the recycling facility. They manually separate everything BUT it’s relatively easy for them because the truck that picks it up at your house has separate bins for glass, cardboard, plastic and paper.

By hand off conveyor belts.

By machine (magnets, air,...) by hand, and even higher tech robotics. It depends on your particular facility. Some are better than others.

In my county yard waste is burned and turned into fuel/electricity. Paper waste actually can be used the same way in the facilities.

The last few years China has been rejecting the plastic we used to send them. They first were getting much pickier that nonplastics were mixed in. For example let’s say previously if 5% was not plastic they still accepted the shipment, but then it went down to 2%. I’m making up the percentages because I don’t remember the exact numbers. Now, I think they are barely taking any.

I just googled one of the energy producing stations near me. I think maybe they take all trash? I’m not clear. Watch the video, you need to scroll down the page a little, it’s interesting. https://www.covanta.com/Sustainability/Energy-from-Waste