Are You Recycling Right?

Being eco-conscious in our home lives is just as important as it is in business. There are many small things we can all do to help make a big difference. Recycling is definitely one of those things and, hopefully, you’re already doing it. However, there’s likely many items that you’ve been throwing into the recycling bin (with good intentions) that just aren’t recyclable. This can cause issues at the plant and create unsafe environment for employees.

So, do you think you’re recycling right? We used a guide from Waste Management to create this list of what you CAN and CAN’T recycle. You might be surprised to see what made the list!

Recycle:

Cardboard
Magazines
Newspapers
Paper
Aluminum & Steel Cans
Plastic Bottles
Glass (*Rules on glass recycling vary, check with your local recycling program first)
Milk Cartons
Juice Boxes
Pizza Boxes (*unless they are very greasy, in which case – trash it)

Remember: Rinse items that contained food or liquid as well as possible.

Trash:

Cups with plastic or wax coatings (*many coffee cups have this)
Polystyrene foam (*some egg cartons)
Frozen Food boxes
Plastic to-go containers
Food
Wire
Metal Waste
Clothing
Medical Waste
Holiday Lights
Garden Hose
Mixed Material Items (*ex: plastic top + metal bottom = most likely non recyclable)
Plastic Bags, Freeze Bags, or plastic Wrapping (*see below for details)

While you can’t throw it in your recycling bin, many retailers and grocery stores, such as Target and Wegmans, offer receptacles specifically to collect & recycle plastic bags. To find a location by you, put your zip code in the search engine on this site: Find a Drop Off Location.

It’s so important to be thoughtful of everything we recycle. To learn more, visit Waste Managements complete recycling guide here.

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