Paper and cardboard are some of the most common and easily recycled items. But did you know they can’t be recycled if they’re wet? You can help us minimize the amount of paper and cardboard that winds up in landfills by keeping your recyclables dry. A good rule to follow is not to allow more than one teaspoon of liquid to collect in your recyclables. You can do this by emptying all containers before you recycle them, shaking off any water after you rinse them, and keeping the lid tightly closed on your outside container when it rains.
Much like wet materials, soiled materials can’t be recycled either. So it’s also important that recycled items are kept free from food and other waste. Something as seemingly harmless as ketchup left inside the bottle can actually contaminate an entire truckload. That means none of it gets recycled, and it all goes into a landfill!