When you recycle receipts, the BPA that they contain gets processed with other paper pulp and contaminates the recycled paper products that are being produced. Receipts: While the thermal cash register receipts you receive from a grocery store or boutique are made from paper, they also contain Bisphenol A, aka BPA, the nasty cancer causing chemical. Save bits of aluminum foil until it forms a large ball or place them inside an aluminum can and crimp the top shut before you place the entire can into recycling.ĥ.
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To avoid this issue, keep soda tabs attached to the can or drop them inside the can when you’re done. Small metal bits : While bits of metal like soda can tabs and aluminum candy wrappers are technically recyclable, their small size makes them hard to detect and they often jam recycling machinery. A good way to test if your gift paper is recyclable is to crumple it into a ball-if it stays bunched up, it’s most likely recyclable. When wrapping a gift, opt for an unlaminated paper like newspaper, paper bags or butcher paper. Glittery cards are also non-recyclable and can contaminate an entire bin of paper. Gift Wrap : Shiny, metallic wrapping paper and decorative ribbons do not belong in recycling. Napkins and paper towels should always go in the compost.ģ. Boxes with a shiny interior are most often lined with plastic and cannot be recycled or composted, unless your local municipality accepts them. A good example is take-out boxes-check the bottom of the box to see if it is labeled as compostable. Lucky for us pizza lovers, cardboard boxes can be composted as can other food-soiled paper, so long as they’re not lined with plastic. Pizza Boxes : If it’s got food stains or grease on it, it doesn’t belong in recycling.
#STYROFOAM CHICAGO BEARS HAND CODE#
Plastic Film Recycling provides a handy directory by zip code to find a drop-off location near you.Ģ. You can also recycle soft plastic at many grocery stores. Bring your own reusable tote with you when you’re out shopping to eliminate the need for a plastic bag. The problem with soft plastic bags is that they can clog machines and slow down operations while workers remove the bags by hand. Plastic Bags : You’d be surprised how many people add soft plastic bags to their recycling bin, or even bag their recyclables in plastic before adding them to their cart.
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So, learn from my mistakes and stop wishful recycling by avoiding these 11 common offenders:ġ. Recycling contamination also can break recycling equipment, slow down operations, create unsafe work conditions (especially when sharp or hazardous materials are involved), and can increase service costs.įor this reason, many municipalities have pleaded with customers-"when in doubt, throw it out." I decided to look into some of the most common offenders contributing to recycling contamination, and admit that I found more than a few I was guilty of. Your household trash might be near empty, but placing the wrong item in recycling can contaminate the entire pile, and potentially an entire truckload, sending it straight to landfill. “Wishful recycling” or “aspirational recycling” happens when people mean well, but actually do more harm than good. And China, previously one of the world’s largest importers of recycling waste, recently set strict limits on what they will accept to reduce “yang laji,” or foreign trash- throwing a major curve ball at the U.S. With the growing spotlight on recycling, and especially recycling contamination, it got me to wonder-am I doing it right, or am I part of the problem? According to the Waste Management, one out of every four items that ends up in the blue bin doesn’t belong. In my mind, it’s better to send the item in question to a place where it might be recycled or composted versus straight to landfill.right?! And when I do have something to toss, and it seems like it should be recyclable but am unsure, I most often will add it to recycling and hope for the best. While my household trash has dwindled, my blue bin is almost always full. As someone who aspires to produce “zero” waste, I can find myself relying on my recycling bin more than I should.