I would like to apologize for my recent inactivity, but this week I return with some guidelines on what to recycle and what to throw out. A lot of people see recycling as a good thing and want to start doing it more, but often times, they end up recycling the wrong things. We need to start discerning what we should and should not be throwing away because everything we recycle goes to a recycling factory to be turned into something else, so we do not want to recycle anything with stains, for example. Some things, such as rubber bands, are not practical for recycling due to their size.
WHAT TO RECYCLE:
In general, things that can be recycled are clean and are made from materials that can easily be made into something else. When in doubt, check with your town or waste removal service to see what it accepts.
Glass
Paper
Cardboard
Plastic
Metal
Washed food containers
WHAT TO COMPOST:
Compost is an organic material that can help soil grow. Composting at home using vegetable waste significantly reduces the amount of food that is being thrown away, and in turn reduces methane emissions from landfills.
Fruits and vegetables
Plant waste (such as banana peels and corn cobs)
Shredded paper
Used paper napkins
Loose natural fiber
Eggs and egg shells
Nuts and grains (such as bread or rice)
Tea leaves and bags
WHAT TO TRASH:
Unfortunately, some things cannot be recycled or composted because they can do harm to soil or workers at the recycling factory, or are impractical to deal with.
Any food not mentioned above
Food-stained wrappings and containers
Disposable diapers
Styrofoam
Single-use masks
Rubber bands
Alkaline batteries
WHY CAN'T YOU RECYCLE CERTAIN THINGS??
Single-use masks have been exposed to Covid-19, and it could potentially be transmitted to workers at the recycling factory.
Most batteries are hazardous to some extent, including rechargeable batteries and lithium-ion batteries, which can cause fires. You'll need to find a place near you that specializes in recycling batteries.
If something otherwise recyclable (such as cardboard or metal) is soiled by food, don't recycle it. However, you can rinse it before recycling.
Most rubber items are in fact recyclable, but rubber bands are not. This is because rubber bands aren't actually made out of rubber, they are made of a combination of natural rubber and synthetic materials. Also, because rubber bands are so small, they can easily get caught in the machinery at recycling facilities.
There are many reasons not to recycle styrofoam, because of the low density of styrofoam, it is not cost-effective to ship. Also, it is often contaminated by food, and hard to clean.
In general, plastic items can be recycled, however, this does not apply to all plastic items. Plastic straws are often too light to be recycled, as they can get lost in the machinery that recycles heavier items.
Last but not least, do not recycle used clothing because there are people out there in need of clothing. Donate used clothes if they are still in good shape!!
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