I am all for recycling but if you are like me, sometimes you are just not sure what can or can’t be recycled. The other day, my husband put an empty vegetable can in the recycle bin. I told him I never do that, and then I wondered what my reasoning behind that was. I realized I didn’t have any – I just always put plastic stuff (and the occasional paper bag) in the recycle bin.
How do you know what can be recycled and what can’t? One easy way is to look at the label. There is a standard recycling symbol, the three arrows (usually green) that form a triangle. If you see that, it will often tell you on the label if the entire item or only certain parts are recyclable.
You can also call your local Chamber of Commerce to ask about the recycling program and what they accept and don’t accept. I know when we moved into the neighborhood and got our recycling bin, there was a card attached which said what you could put in there and what you couldn’t. Some neighborhoods have these bins and others require that you bring your recyclables to a certain location for drop off.
Sometimes, the center will ask that items to be in a certain condition for recycling. For example, you may need to tie your newspapers up in bundles or they may ask you to keep broken glass out of the recycling bin. Usually, it is better if you flatten boxes, fold up paper bags, empty and wash out containers before dropping them off.
You want to be careful with batteries because they contain heavy metals like mercury and lead, which can harm the environment. Many places that sell batteries will accept your reusable batteries. As for car batteries, usually the place where you purchase a new one will collect the old one for recycling.
Recycling may not be easy at first, but once you learn what you can and can’t recycle, it should be a breeze!