I’ve spent countless hours staring at my recycling bin, trying to figure out what to do with my trash. Sorting recycling can be confusing! Programs vary from city to city and the rules often change, not to mention package labels can be misleading, and recycling companies aren’t always clear about what is accepted.
The truth is getting curbside recycling “right” is actually important. It diverts unnecessary waste from landfills and reduces the demand for new raw materials; plus, using recycled materials to produce goods requires significantly less energy.
The end goal of a recycling program is to efficiently produce high-quality, recycled raw materials that can be sold to buyers. Recycling incorrectly increases the amount of contamination—and when contamination rates are too high, recycling companies can’t find anyone to buy the recycled raw material…so the whole lot can end up in the landfill.
When we got serious about recycling at our GreenHouse, we knew very little about what to recycle and what to toss. We made a lot of mistakes (still do!) and were definitely guilty of wish-cycling (as in, you put something you aren’t sure about in the recycling bin, cross your fingers, and “wish” it gets recycled). Unfortunately, this does more harm than good, as wish-cycling is a significant contributor to recycling contamination.
But, we did our research, learned some tricks, and over time have gotten more comfortable with how to handle our trash. And with these tips, you can, too!
#1 - Stick to the list
Recycling is a lot like gift shopping: nobody wins if you don’t stick to the list. Typically, your recycling company or municipality provides information like this on what is accepted, as well as other guidance (like don’t bag your recycling in garbage bags – keep it loose!). If it’s not on the list, it goes in the trash.
Sometimes the most helpful recycling information is right on the item’s packaging. How2Recycle.info is a labeling initiative aimed at helping consumers learn how to recycle their packaging correctly. They work with companies to develop clear and straightforward labeling for their product packaging. I’m much more inclined to buy products with a How2Recycle.info label.
#2 - Keep it clean
Believe it or not, our recycling bin is spotless and doesn’t stink! Everything we recycle is rinsed out first—and anything soiled (paper plates, coffee filters, coffee pods, pizza boxes, paper-to-go containers, food, liquids, chemicals, diapers, pet waste, yard waste, etc.), goes in the trash or compost. Remember: dirty items and food also contribute to recycling contamination rates.
#3 - Don’t be soft
The only kinds of plastics typically accepted curbside are hard plastic containers. Soft and flexible plastics cannot be recycled curbside – no plastic bags, dry cleaning bags, cereal liner bags, bread bags, produce bags, etc. If it’s soft enough that you can fold it or curl it into a ball, it can’t go curbside. These things clog up the recycling machines.
#4 - Shoot for 100%
Most items in a curbside bin should very clearly fit into one category – like hard plastic, paper, metal, or glass. Anything made of more than one material can’t go curbside. Sometimes it’s obvious, like a light bulb, a small appliance, or a razor. A trickier thing to spot is coated cardboard packaging, when a thin layer of plastic is applied to the cardboard. You see this in frozen food cardboard packaging and disposable paper cups. Multi-layer bags are also tricky. For this reason, many snack wrappers like granola bars and chip bags should be tossed in the trash.
#5 - Consider the source
Most of the recycled items in our house come from three sources: cardboard packaging, mail, and the grocery store. If it’s not from one of those places, I rethink whether it should end up in the curbside bin. It’s probably too small, too big, too dirty, or comprised of too many types of materials. This means cookware, textiles, electronics, appliances, toys, building supplies, etc.
Hopefully, these tips will help you feel ready to recycle. But…what about the items that don’t make it into the curbside bin? Don’t forget that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure…really! Store drop-off programs, donation, resale and even mail-in recycling make it easy to give new life to trash.
Read my blog on Beyond the Curb Recycling to find out more.