Facts, Tips and Tricks

Recycling Facts

Recycling incorrectly can cause contamination of a batch of recycling which means that most waste managements plants then end up throwing away the entire batch (Albeck-Ripka, 2018)

Most disposable coffee cups are not able to recycled at all facilities (Albeck-Ripka, 2018).

Leaving food scraps on recyclable material can also cause contamination to a load (Albeck-Ripka, 2018)

Tips and Tricks

Do not put recyclables in plastic bags for curbside recycling. The recycling centers are largely automated, and bags of recyclables will be sorted out and sent to the landfill.

Food containers made of open-cell polystyrene, though they have a PET number stamped on them, are not recyclable through curbside services.

Receipts printed on thermal paper contain BPA and are not recyclable. It is better to refuse them at the checkout.

Cardboard boxes need to be broken down prior to recycling to avoid clogging the sorting machines.

Literature Cited

Albeck-Ripka, L. (2018, May 29). 6 Things You're Recycling Wrong. In The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/29/climate/recycling-wrong-mistakes.html