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Questions and Answers
We hope we answer most of your questions here, but if you have and others, please submit it below and we'll get back to you.
Common Questions for our El Paso, TX program
Thermoforms
What's a thermoform? Or what kind of items do you accept?
Thermoforms, also know as Clamshells, are clear, slightly flexible, containers made of #1 PET plastic. They're most often used to package berries, fruit, baked goods and sometimes take-out meals. The El Paso program only accepts #1 PET thermoforms and no other kind of recyclable materials.
Please be sure your containers are empty and have no food residue in them.
Bags
What kind of bag should I put my thermoforms in?
You can use any plastic bag to collect your thermoforms. A shopping bag works great. The receptacle door is about 20" x 12", so a large garbage bag might not fit, but you can use multiple bags with each drop-off.
Common Questions for our NY Bottle Deposit Program
in NY State, with MeCycle you can recycle bottles and cans covered by the state's container deposit law.
Keep vs. Donate
What if I want to keep my deposits on my recycling?
You can certainly keep your deposits instead of donating them. It's your money. We do require that if you are keeping your funds, you scan the UPC code of the items before you put them in the bag. That will put the funds in your wallet and you can claim them via Venmo.
Fees Charged
What fees does MeCycle charge?
MeCycle charges a pick up fee and on glass bottles we charge a small convenience fee due to the heavier weight and potential breakage of glass. These fees are deducted from your deposits so you never have to pay out of your pocket. If you drop off there is no pick up fee and if you scan your items before you put them in the bag, there is no scanning fee.
Unverified Items
Sometimes my scanned items show up as unverified - why is that?
We have built a database of over 50,000 items with deposits but sometimes we miss one! If you get an unverified scan, follow the steps in the app and we will get it added to the database and if it has a deposit, get you your credit!
New Bags
How do I get a new bag for my recycling?
In New York we always drop off a clean bag when we pick up your full one. If you want more than one bag, please order one here and we'll get one right out to you.
Deposit Items
What has a deposit? What doesn't?
Deposit items vary by state but they are clearly marked on the label (for bottles) or on the top (for cans). For now, MeCycle only takes deposit items as those we can guarantee get recycled properly. If you put something in your bag that doesn't have a deposit - we'll just let you know that you can put those in your regular recycling going forward.