Common Items You're Throwing in The Recycling That Belong in The Trash

 

Recycling has become an essential part of modern-day life. Many of us are trying to reduce our environmental footprint, even if in small ways, by recycling as much as we can. We have become increasingly conscientious about what we throw away and how we dispose of it. However, despite our best efforts, there is still a lot of confusion about what can and cannot be recycled. This confusion often leads to people unknowingly throwing away items that should be placed in the trash. In this blog post, we highlight some common items that should not be thrown in the recycling bin and explain why they belong in the trash.

 

Plastic bags

While it may seem intuitive to recycle a plastic bag considering it's made out of plastic, plastic bags are NOT recyclable municipally. They tend to get tangled up in the machinery at the recycling plant, forcing the machines to shut down and causing delays. To dispose of plastic bags, bag them up and place them in the trash bin. Some stores offer plastic recycling bins - you may want to take any excess bags to those.

Athletic shoes

Recycling shoes is a great way to reduce waste; donating them is always an option. However, if the shoes are in extremely poor condition, they should not be thrown in the recycling bin. This is because shoes contain different materials such as rubber, leather, fabric, and synthetic materials that aren't conveniently recycled together. The best thing to do with worn-out shoes is to dispose of them in the trash.

Pizza boxes

Pizza boxes are easily contaminated with food particles, grease, and other oily substances making it difficult for recycling plants to effectively recycle them. Food waste found in the pizza boxes will contaminate the paper fibers, making them less valuable and unusable for recycling. Throw any greasy or soiled pizza boxes in the trash.

Plastic utensils

Plastic forks, knives, spoons, straws, and others are usually made of low-value plastic, which makes it hard-to-recycle. Plastic utensils are also usually contaminated, making it even more difficult for recycling efforts. Avoid using plastic utensils altogether when possible. If you must use them, discard them in the trash bin.

Clothes with excess dyeing

While textile recycling is becoming more common, some items with excess dyes could not be reclaimed. Dyes do not follow the recycling rule's color policies, and the excess dye often stains the other textiles, making them hard to fix. Ensure that the dye in clothes is colorfast before donating them anywhere.

 

Conclusion

Recycling the right way is critical to minimizing our environmental impact. While we may believe that we are doing the right thing by throwing everything that seems recyclable into the recycling bin, the items mentioned above must be placed in the trash bin. It is essential to pay close attention to what you are tossing into the recycling bin to make sure that only suitable materials find their way there. Properly disposing of items through the right channels will help to create a better future for our planet. 

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