Recycling A Little More Each Day

Help Your Curbside Recycler By Pre-Sorting These Items

If you're like most people, then you probably feel good about doing your part to recycle. However, a lot of things are put in recycling containers, but they may not actually be recyclable. Some items are so inappropriate that they can actually clog the machines or severely slow down the sorting process. Here are a few things that are commonly mistaken for being recyclable, but should stay out of your curbside recycling bins. Sorting these things out before they go into the bins will be of great help to your recycling company.

Medical waste:

Medical waste not only can't be recycled, it can actually be hazardous to people working at the recycling facilities. Needles, especially, can be dangerous. When employees spot them, even if they're put another container or bottle, they have to halt the sorting process. This results in a slow-down of the entire sorting process. If you are using needles for a medical condition, your doctor should have also provided you with instructions on how to dispose of them. Usually, you get a "sharps" container which you take to an authorized disposal facility. They neither go to the landfill or to the recycler.

Plastic grocery bags:

While you may think that plastic grocery bags are recyclable, it's generally a good idea to keep them out of the bins even when you fill them with other recyclable materials. This is because these soft plastics need to be sorted differently than hard plastics. Plus, they can easily break down, tear while being sorted and become jammed into the sorting machines. Instead, look for recycling programs that specialize in plastic bags, or bring your own cloth bags to the store.

Items with the recycle number 7 on them:

While it may seem that anything with a recycle symbol stamped on it is recyclable, many items with the number 7 may not be. This is because this number encompasses the "other" category of recyclables. These items appear to be recyclable, but their materials can't be classified. The items may be made of a mix of different types of plastic or of new types of materials which haven't bee classified. Examples are items with BPA or bioplastics. Before assuming it's recyclable, ask your recycling facility about whether they take things with a 7 on them.

Try to narrow down you curbside recycling materials to your basic hard plastics such as plastic soda bottles, glass bottles, cans and cardboard boxes. Leave shipping materials, cloth items and items with food stuck on them for the landfill or specialty recycling centers. That way, you will make things easier on your recycling company and get things sorted at the right locations more efficiently. Cotact a service, likeIndustrial Services Inc, for more help.


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