It’s a common occurrence: you approach the trash can with trash in hand and ask, “Can I recycle this?”

Even yet, we frequently toss the trash in the recycling bin in the hopes that someone else would sort it out. This is what recyclers refer to as wish-cycling or aspirational recycling.

Recycling is still a crucial method of combating global plastic pollution, but it’s time to face the facts.

Things You Are Recycling WRONG

Glass Recycling

Don’t think that your broken Pyrex container belongs in the blue. Your blue bin only accepts certain types of glass. Glass in translucent bottles and jars can normally be recycled curbside, but ceramic dishes, mirrors, Pyrex, light bulbs, and window glass cannot.

These products differ from container glass not only in their melting points but also in their chemical make-up. During the recycling process, this may result in issues at the recycling facility.

Paper Recycling

Mullets were fashionable and in style at one point. Additionally, the glossy paper used to not recyclable. Thankfully, the days of non-recyclable glossy magazines and the mullet are behind us. Magazines can be recycled at any facility that accepts paper, so be sure to put them in your blue bin.

And when you recycle all of your outdated magazines, consider looking for a digital version of your preferred print material to completely avoid magazine waste.

Coffee Cups Recycling

On any given garbage day, you can walk down the block and find coffee cups or fast-food soda cups in almost every home’s blue trash can. They have no business there! They cannot be recycled because of the plastic lining that keeps them from leaking.

The cardboard sleeve for hot beverage cups and the lids, if they are not black, can both be recycled, but the cups themselves must go in the trash.

Cleaning Chux Cloths & Wetwipes Are Not Recyclable

Wet wipes and blue-and-white cleaning cloths are both made of plastic and not paper, thus they cannot be recycled. It’s possible for a substance to feel like paper at times, but tearing it can reveal whether it’s made of plastic. This type of woven plastic won’t tear as paper does.

Disposable masks are made of plastic and are not recyclable, too!

The ordinary rubbish bin will receive these cleaning clothes. The best choice is to look for a fully compostable, reusable replacement (those Swedish dish towels are fantastic), or even a kitchen towel that is free of plastic. 

Greasy cardboard is not Recyclable

Grease-stained pizza boxes, hamburger boxes, and chip boxes cannot be recycled. Only clean cardboard can be recycled to make new cardboard. You can cut off any clean parts of greased cardboard and recycle those (typically the lid), but the greased parts must be disposed of in a compost bin, a food waste collection service that accepts cardboard, or the regular trash.

Clean off food leftovers

Containers such as jars, bottles, and carton boxes can all be recycled; the issue is with the contents. Sauces, leftover food, or liquids might leak onto other recyclables like paper or cardboard in your recycling bin and contaminate them.

Empty your containers and give them a quick wash to prevent recyclable food packaging from ending up in landfills.

Disposable Coffee Cups

Coffee cups may have paper outside, but they have a thin layer of polyethene (plastic) lining on the inside, which prevents leaks.

CDs & DVDs

I frequently get asked what to do with CDs and DVDs, and the answer is that you cannot put them in recycle bin. If they are still usable, think about giving them to family or friends, donating them to your neighbourhood op-shop, or even turning them into garden bird deterrents.

However, you can recycle your old movies and music CDs through the majority of e-waste programmes that focus on electronic products of all kinds, including outdated computers, wires, video cassettes, and more.

Bubble Wrap

Soft plastics are terrible, especially for recycling. This should never go in your trash, but it can be turned into street benches and other useful objects by being recycled, donated, or dropped off at your neighbourhood Recycle Bin.

Did you know that fragile goods can be effectively protected using shredded paper? Before placing an online order, verify the store’s rules and choose recyclable packaging materials if at all possible.

Straws, Bottle tops and Bread Tags

Although a small fraction of the globe currently despises straws, I am aware that many people still use them and are quite content to recycle them incorrectly. Straws, bottle tops, bread tags, and other little plastic items that accumulate to a significant amount of plastic during recycling count as contamination.

These can be recycled, but larger plastic containers are required. To gather these little gremlins, try keeping an empty milk jug or takeout container on your bench. Once it is full, replace the top and put the container in recycle bin.

The proper recycling can save our planet. In this article we have seen things you recycle wrong. Next time, keep this info in mind to avoid these mistakes. I do want to emphasise that recycling policies can differ greatly amongst cities, even those that are close to one another.

The best course of action is to visit the website or phone the local public works department. Some communities even let you take a tour of their recycling centres, which sounds like exciting family activities to me!