Recycling, as we all know, is turning one product into another to reduce landfill volumes, carbon footprints and resource depletion. If you are an earth warrior, then you would have been one of the people that has Googled ‘recycling near me’ and ‘upcycling tips’. We are here to support all earth warriors with our recycling apps for councils and organisations, as well as share recycling tips with you.
Today we look at how to make recycling easier at home as it becomes a much larger part of our lives. Let’s start!
Know Your Materials
At this time, the recycling industry is not able to process all materials. However, the following can be recycled:
- Paper & cardboard
- Foil & aluminium cans
- Most plastic bottles and jugs
- Tin cans
- Glass that is in tact
Depending on your location, the following materials might not be accepted by your local recycling depot:
- Paper plates & cups
- Plastic utensils
- Plastic bags
- Wax-coated or plastic-coated paper
- Batteries
- Polystyrene
- Bubble wrap
Segregate Waste, Recyclables & Non-Recyclables
It is important not to mix non-recyclables with recyclables because, due to operations efficiencies, there is a risk that your “contaminated” load will be redirected immediately to a landfill which would be most unfortunate.
It is even more important to ensure waste doesn’t get into the recycling. Consider having a dedicated bowl of soapy water, per day, allocated to rinsing recycling before you put it in a recycling bin.
Colour code your bins to make it easier. Five bins would be a good starting point for categories such as paper, food waste (non-compostable), metal, glass and plastic.
Compostable And Non-Compostable Food Waste
It is important to separate organic waste from landfill and recycling:
- Keeping it out of the landfill reduces the production of methane gas which is vital for reducing green house gases.
- Keeping it out of recycling means the recycling doesn’t get redirected to a landfill.
The most eco-friendly action to take with organic waste is to put it into compost, except if it contains meat, butter, animal oils or dairy. The latter items can be composted via a bokashi method.
Very Small Items
Size does affect the suitability of items for recycling. If an item is smaller than a bank card, then your local depot might not be able to recycle it. Ask your depot if they accept small pieces of paper, metal tabs and metal bottle caps. Small plastic bottle tops are recycled.
No Plastic Bags
Plastic bags, unfortunately, get entangled in the recycling machinery and cause frequent breakdowns. It is important not to enclose recyclable items in plastic bags, as safety regulations prohibit workers from opening them. The entire bag is thus redirected to a landfill, which is a great pity.
And that is it! With these simple tips, you can make your home recycling a lot more effective and increase your impact on saving our fantastic planet!
Contact your local recycling depot by Googling ‘recycling near me’ and find out what they don’t process. To book a demo on how to implement various recycling apps in your community, get in touch with us today!
