Items which can be recycled

Do you know — a part of the rubbish you toss into your garbage bin daily can be re-used to serve some other household purpose? This way you can save yourself money by using these as substitute items for things you would have had to buy otherwise.

This will, in turn, control your inorganic waste contribution for landfill. Use paper bags as gift-wrappers or as paper to jot down things you need to purchase. Wet-wipe containers can serve as great string dispensers. Mixed Paper: Paperboard tissue boxes, cereal boxes , copy paper, construction paper, newspaper, magazines, and envelopes. Compost: Fruits and vegetables, eggshells, coffee grounds and filters, tea bags, nutshells, yard trimmings, grass clippings, leaves, biodegradable plates and silverware.

Now that you have an understanding of the things you can recycle, it's just as important to understand which items you cannot recycle and why. Materials need to be clean and valuable to recycle. Tossing non-recyclable items into the same bin causes contamination, downgrading the materials, and making the whole batch non-recyclable.

The following items are not recyclable and should be placed in your landfill bin:. OCC Old Corrugated Cardboard : No g r ease or food contamination, frozen food or take out boxes, coffee cups, and coated cardboard.

Commingled Materials: No plastic grocery bags, eating utensils, Styrofoam, plastic wrap, broken light-bulbs, electronics, paint cans, and scrap metal. Mixed Paper: No waxed cartons containers that held liquid such as orange juice , used paper plates, used napkins, receipts, and paper cups. Check out our resources on how to manage and recycle your used household batteries and your used lithium-ion batteries.

More than 35 million tons of plastics were generated in the United States in , which was about 12 percent of the waste stream. Only 8. Some types of plastics are recycled much more than others. Most community recycling programs accept some, but not all, types of plastics. Look for products made from recycled plastic materials. What do the symbols mean on the bottom of plastic bottles and containers? These symbols were created by plastic manufacturers to help people identify the kind of plastic resin used to make the container.

This can help you determine if the container can be accepted by your local recycling program. The resin number is contained in a triangle, which looks very similar to the recycling symbol, but this does not necessarily mean it can be collected for recycling in your community.

Glass, especially glass food and beverage containers, can be recycled over and over again. In the United States in , Making new glass from recycled glass is typically cheaper than using raw materials.

Most curbside community recycling programs accept different glass colors and types mixed together, and then glass is sorted at the recovery facility. Check with your local program to see if you need to separate your glass or if it can be mixed together. Never dump your used motor oil down the drain — the used oil from one oil change can contaminate one million gallons of fresh water.

By recycling your used oil you not only help keep our water supply clean, but help reduce American dependence on foreign oil. It takes 42 gallons of crude oil, but only one gallon of used oil, to produce 2. Many garages and auto-supply stores that sell motor oil also accept oil for recycling.

Check out our resources on learning to manage, reuse or recycle your used oil. Put them in the trash bin if no other options are available. No Medical Waste. No Garage Waste. Check local programs to find out what is recyclable in your area. Not Accepted in Your Bin Try to reduce and reuse these items instead of putting them in the trash.

Other Materials Typically not accepted for curbside pickup. Myth: Most Americans recycle all they can. Reality: False. Myth: Recycling arrows on a container mean it is definitely recyclable. Myth: Containers must be squeaky clean in order to be recycled. Myth: Even if an item shouldn't go in the bin, it will get sorted anyway. Myth: Hoses, tanks, shower curtains, swing sets, etc. Myth: All types of glass bottles and jars are recyclable.

Myth: Aerosol cans are acceptable in the recycle bin. Reality : It varies by jurisdiction. Learn More. If you run a small or medium business, waste can be a real headache. Choose Waste Management's business trash and recycling pickup services to get reliable waste disposal without the worry.

National Accounts Solutions. If your business operates in multiple regions across North America, a National Account can help you optimize your recycling program, align with recycling regulations across the country and work toward your sustainability goals.

From old TV remotes to batteries to compact fluorescent bulbs, we have convenient options to help you recycle those things you may not know can be recycled.