Wrangling newspaper recycling

As a devoted environmentalist and pragmatist, the circles labeled “recycling” and “convenience” don’t always align on my Venn diagram of life. Sometimes what is most convenient, isn’t great for the environment.

Stak-N-Tie stacking bins solve two household problems for me:

  1. a rugged container for storing read newspapers awaiting recycle pick-up day; and
  2. a can’t-miss device to single-handedly twine-bundle your stack of papers.

The elevated corners of the Stak-N-Tie leave enough room underneath the newspaper pile to slip your bundling twine. Once knotted, the whole stack lifts easily from the crate. Until recently, my town made me separate newspaper from other recyclable paper, so I bought two. My town now lets me co-mingle all my paper and no longer requires a twine-knotted bundle, so the entire crate gets toted to the curb on pick-up day. And, if I ever need to dispose of the crate itself, it’s recyclable, too: #2 HDPE.

Available from the Recycling Center for $12.95 plus shipping, it’s a great way to keep old newspapers from cluttering up your home.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Posted by Cory on Dec 20, 2008 | Comments | Tweet This

28 comments posted

  1. Posted by Khürt Williams - 12/20/2008

    How about skipping the newspaper altogether and reading the news online? You would be saving trees and $12.95.

  2. Posted by Beth - 12/20/2008

    I hear what you are saying Khurt but, I too am guilty of getting the daily newspaper. It is one of my indulgences to sit down with a glass of wine at the end of the day and read the paper. Or, on Sunday morning, a cup of coffee and muffin on my deck with the paper.

    Online doesn’t have the same romance for me. But then again – I still have a paper calendar – no Blackberry for me!

  3. Posted by Lazygal - 12/20/2008

    I’ve been using something similar for years. It’s truly a wonderful addition to my home.

    @Khurt, like Unclutterer, I use mine for more than just the newspaper (I only get the weekend editions anyway): magazines, catalogs and other flat paper items go there for easy bundling/carrying.

  4. Posted by PJ Normz - 12/20/2008

    More proof that great ideas are usually quite simple!

    http://yinvsyang.com

  5. Posted by Carl Cravens - 12/20/2008

    Way back when we got the paper, we used one of these and it works very well.

  6. Posted by Jennifer - 12/20/2008

    What a nifty idea! I stopped reading the paper a while ago and find all of my news online. But my parents still read the paper and have lopsided stacks of them all over the garage. I’ll recommend handy container to them.

  7. Posted by The Daily Click - 12/20/2008

    Fortunately in the UK there is no need for us to tie up our papers for recycling and can just place them in a crate which gets tipped into the recycling lorry. But that is definitely a very good and simple idea.

  8. Posted by Stacy - 12/20/2008

    Off subject post- I loved extreme minimalism Monday! Can you bring it back?

  9. Posted by Lindsay - 12/20/2008

    I thought this was a unitasker post, then realized you were serious.

  10. Posted by jeff parnes - 12/20/2008

    What a waste!

    You want a box to recycle papers that is truly simple?

    Buy a 24-case of bottled beer – Yingling, Miller, Utica Club, Bud, any type. Drink the beer. Recycle the bottles. Use a sharp edge to cut one-inch slots along the center of each slide of the cardboard box.

    Take your string, hook it into one of the slots (leaving excess string the height of the box), drape it from one side to the other and then slide into the other slot. Then take the end of the string, and bring it from the center of that side to a slot 90 degrees on another side, leaving some slack. Now drape the string from that slot to the other slot, leaving excess string the height of the box. When the box is full, use the string edges to tie the paper. Redo.

    Cost zero – 100% recyclable. Need two – buy another case of beer. Case gets worn or sides rip – see previous guidance.

    For your friends who would be tempted to spend money on this wasted plastic device here’s an great holiday gift idea – give them a case of an expensive brand of beer and these instructions.

  11. Posted by Another Deb - 12/20/2008

    I use a large plastic bin repurposed from storage for my paper recycling. I live in a place that requires me to deliver my recyclables to a central area. A local school gets the paper as a fundraiser a block away, no string needed in their dumpster. The open crate in your picture would leak paper for me.

  12. Posted by ari_1965 - 12/20/2008

    I just can’t see the need for this stak-n-tie crate. I understand tying up the newspaper into a bundle because that makes it easier to carry the bundle to the recycling bin. But I can’t understand why you would need this crate to do that? Wouldn’t you just lift up your bundle of newspapers, throw the twine around it, pull it tight, and head off to the recyling bin?

    By the way, this type of plastic bin is not recyclable in my area no matter what the numbering system states. The only plastic that is recyclable in my area is bottles with a neck.

  13. Posted by wordwych - 12/20/2008

    Jeff Parnes, you expressed my thoughts exactly! As I was reading the description of this product, I thought immediately of using a cardboard box with slits in the sides.

  14. Posted by Hilde - 12/21/2008

    I could have used one of them when we still had curbside collection of paper! But in the region where I live now, every household has its own bin for all kinds of paper, which is emptied every four weeks.

  15. Posted by Rajan - 12/21/2008

    One more useless thing to clutter up your house.

    What next ?… a mini fork lift to carry the bundle to the curbside ?

  16. Posted by jkm - 12/21/2008

    The fact that this container doesn’t get stolen on pick-up day tells us enough about its desirability, doesn’t it?
    Can’t see the added value of this thing, unless tying up bundles is mandatory, AND you don’t have the full use of both hands.
    Any cardboard box would do just as well, but we use brown paper grocery bags, which accompany the newpapers into the recycling bin. In cities in The Netherlands we usually have a huge paper-recycling bin within walking distance.

  17. Posted by m - 12/21/2008

    We have one of these and love it. It lives right outside the garage door, and the paper goes in it the minute we’re done reading it. As for those complaining that you could make something similar out of cardboard: Knock yourselves out. But there’s no way that your DIY version will last the dozen years and counting that our plastic one has.

  18. Posted by Doreen - 12/21/2008

    Isn’t this just another unitasker? Thankfully our recycling collector allows me to put newspapers in a paper bag from the supermarket.

  19. Posted by jeff parnes - 12/22/2008

    M,

    You’re right, my cardboard box doesn’t last anywhere near a year. But it’s always a pleasure drinking the brewskies in preparation for the next box that makes it so much fun. Here’s a toast to the New Year! Remember beer and sharp edges don’t mix!

    Enjoy!

  20. Posted by B - 12/22/2008

    Seriously? You actually NEED this to do your recycling? I think this was supposed to be a Unitasker post. How about save the $12.95, earn some interest on it and just lift up the bundle of papers about an inch and put some twine under there. Better yet, lay down the twine BEFORE you start piling up the papers and save the exertion of picking them up. The best idea though would be to stop getting the paper delivered, read it online and quit killing the trees.

  21. Posted by Erin Doland - 12/22/2008

    Wow, if everyone can chill out with the judgmental attitudes, that would be appreciated. Just because you don’t have an issue with old newspapers piling up on tables and in magazine racks around your home, doesn’t mean others don’t. This website is about helping people to find order and clear clutter, so please keep helpful and supportive comments flowing. But, let’s hold off on the “I’m better than you because I have this one area of my life already managed” statements … We’re here to help people, not belittle them.

  22. Posted by bobbin - 12/22/2008

    Remember that recyclable does not mean that it will be recycled. Many municipalities will only take #2 plastic if it is bottles and jugs, not just any plastic product marked #2. As an environmentalist, you should be able to recycle paper without buying and eventually landfilling plastic items.

  23. Posted by Brickerhaus - 12/24/2008

    I absolutely love this product. My wife had this habit of stacking up our papers. She was busy, and I was busy. I think you know what happens next. Two months worth of papers. Normally I throw them away but since we have so many I just thought why not recycle. Bought the twine and started doing it. It is a little hard tying it your self and along comes this. Basket and tying contraption. I am buying one. Thank You.

    I wrote this comment all excited, then read the other comments. Yes the ‘lush’ above has a point for using beer boxes but come on. A lot of people still use this type of method for getting news. I want you all to think, “would your parents or grandparents use something like this.” I think it is a great idea. I would agree this is kinda uni-tasker here but I will agree with Erin that this would help out a lot of people but hey instead of pulling out your kindle all the time. Why not pull up a newspaper and read the old fashion way. Something about spreading the day’s news in front of you.

    Good post Cory even if some people don’t like it.

  24. Posted by Marc Rohde - 12/31/2008

    Option 1 – Skip the newspaper and get your news online. Get rid of clutter and become more productive.

    Option 2 – Use a paper bag to bundle the newspaper and recycle everything.

  25. Posted by catmom - 01/23/2009

    Luckily for us we are given 2 recycling bins per household from the county, one is for newspapers, cardboard and magazines and the other one is for plastics, glass and cans. We have curb pick up service once a week.

    For those of you who don’t have the services that we do, I admire you for being creative with your containers and doing your duty for the environment!

  26. Posted by jamie kunz - 03/17/2009

    Hello from the farm,
    I came upon this website as I was looking for a recycling thingie for the newspapers. We have a dumpster that is emptied once an month., no recycle, no trash pick-up. What’s up with all you haters? There are some of us that are still old school, like my hardworking husband who comes in after working a 14 hour day to read the paper and have a drink! And yes, it’s kinda akward with the string, people use things that are user friendly! this is something i would have in the corner of the family room…..

  27. Posted by bedardy - 05/28/2009

    On June 1, 2009 all bags (plastic and paper) are banned from our town’s (Ottawa) maybe even the province’s stores, so we can no longer get paper pags to collect our newspapers. Recycling is every two weeks, and this type of apparatus would be very welcome around our house. Somehow, once the various sections have been torn apart, not to mention the ads, junk mail and flyers in various shapes and sizes, the stack is just not manageable by hand. I had seen them for years, but now the need is real, and unfortunately the local store no longer carries them. I’m looking.

  28. Posted by NicoleS - 09/07/2009

    To the posters who commented about reusing beer boxes: not everyone is allowed co-mingle their recycling.

    Where I live we are not allowed to use “coated cardboard” to hold our newspaper.
    Each type of paper/cardboard must be tied together in their own separate groups.
    They will refuse to take it if it’s not.

    We get a “free” local paper, and have tried several times to discontinue it – we don’t even read it.

    This recycling container would do a nice job of organizing our newspaper mess, and the price is very reasonable.

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