Become an Expert Recycler
You can make a difference! Learn to avoid common mistakes, determine what’s recyclable and what’s not, and use best practices for keeping your recycling clean and simple.
Watch videos in
Resolve to be a Better Recycler in 2023
Follow these tips to make recycling a simple habit.
Let’s face it – most New Year’s resolutions can be expensive and daunting, but resolving to be a better recycler is easy!
How to Safely Recycle Battery-Powered Electronics, Toys and E-Waste
It’s important to recycle old electronics the right way.
What you may not know is that putting your old battery-powered electronics and toys in your waste or recycling bin is not only an environmental no-no, it can be downright dangerous.
5 Signs You’re an Aspirational Recycler
Should I? Shouldn’t I?
“Wish-cycling” is detrimental because it puts a lot of items in the recycling stream that don’t belong there, can contaminate perfectly good recyclables, and can damage the equipment in recycling facilities.
The Importance of Recycling During a Pandemic
Maintaining our eco-friendly habits during the pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been a high demand for necessary supplies and without recycling, it’s hard for paper and cardboard manufacturers to keep up with the needs of the health care and grocery industries.
Why You Should Recycle Cardboard Boxes
Recycling cardboard maximizes the use of our resources
Recycling boxes and packaging materials the right way is important to ensure there is enough cardboard in the supply chain to meet demand.
What is Precycling?
Precycling has been referred to as a low-waste lifestyle.
If recycling had a best friend, it would be precycling. Precycling is about reducing your impact on what goes into the waste stream by purchasing and using items that are unpackaged, reusable or recycled.
The Right Stuff
Know what to throw.
- Get familiar with the four major categories of recyclables: paper, cardboard, plastic containers and beverage/food cans.
- There is no need to bag your clean recyclables.
- Don’t combine different kinds of recycling materials inside another container.
Why Recycling Matters
Recycling makes a difference in the health, safety and cleanliness of your community.
It may be hard to believe, but some people think recycling doesn’t make that much of a difference. Nothing could be further from the truth! There are so many reasons recycling matters.
The Poke Test
If you can poke your finger through the plastic, it doesn't belong in your container.
There’s a sure way to find out if plastic belongs in your recycling container. Take the Poke Test to make sure it doesn’t tangle up in the sorting process.
Empty. Clean. Dry.™
Don’t contaminate the recycle stream.
- Be sure your recyclables are empty, clean and dry before you put them in your recycle container.
- Rinse to remove any residual material (you don’t need to wash it).
- Clean recyclables don’t contaminate other types of materials, so the recycle stream stays out of the landfill.
Rule of Thumb
Never recycle anything smaller than a credit card.
If recyclable materials are smaller than a credit card, they will likely end up in the landfill or jam up the sorting equipment during the recycling process.
Keep Your Recyclables Dry
Allow no more than a teaspoon of liquid in them.
Just one bottle of ketchup with residue could contaminate an entire truckload! Keep recyclables free of liquid or food waste by ensuring that they’re empty, clean and dry.
Plastics
Which plastic items can go in your recycling container?
- Recycle plastic bottles and jugs. Water bottles, beverage bottles, milk or juice jugs, detergent and cleaning bottles.
- Flexible plastics (grocery bags, plastic packaging, bubble wrap) and styrofoam packaging require special handling and do not belong in the recycle container.
- To dispose of plastic bags, you can return them to the store where you got them.
Don’t Mix It Up
Separate combined materials before you recycle them.
Padded envelopes and electronic or toy packaging usually have combined materials that can’t be easily separated. Make sure to separate recyclables or toss them in the trash!
Pass the Smell Test
If your recycling container stinks, it's probably contaminated.
Put your recycling container to the “smell test”: if something smells bad, it probably has food or liquid waste in it. Be sure everything is empty, clean and dry!
Common Contaminants
What doesn’t belong in your recycling container?
- Don’t bag your recyclables – place them in your recycling container loosely.
- Grocery bags and other flexible plastics will get caught in the machinery.
- Many common household items (shoes, toys, clothing) can be reused but NOT recycled.
When In Doubt, Throw It Out
Wondering if something can be recycled?
- If it has food waste, it belongs in the trash. For example, you can recycle the clean part of a pizza box, but throw away the greasy part.
- Paper plates, paper towels and napkins belong in the trash, not the recycle container.
- Just one dirty bottle can contaminate the contents of a whole recycling truck.
Yard Waste
Yard waste does not belong in the recycle container.
- Composting options for tree trimmings and other yard waste may be available in your community, but not via your recycle container.
- If you’re interested in composting, contact your local community or look for options online.
- Garden hoses cannot be recycled – when worn out, put them in your trash can.
Want to Learn More?
We’ve put together some guidelines that are as simple as 1-2-3. We’ve also created additional informative resources you can download for easy reference.
Learn the Basics View Resources