Everyone wants to do their part to try and help the environment, but some well-meaning people just cause more problems. Bad trash separation is a good example. Not separating recyclables from the trash can end up contaminating reusable materials. Here’s a primer to make sure that you’re going about things the right way.
Which Items Are Recyclable
So, with that in mind, what can you recycle? Here’s an essential list:
- Any rigid plastic bottles or containers in your kitchen
- Cardboard boxes
- Junk mail, phonebooks, old magazines
- Office paper materials, newspapers
- Tin cans
- Aluminum cans
- Steel cans
- Soda/beer bottles
- Food containers
- Wine bottles
Learning to Separate Trash From Recycling Items
Loose plastic bags, plastic food utensils, and anything soiled with food is regular trash and not recyclable.
With that in mind, you can start learning to recycle and separate. The easiest way to separate/prepare your recyclable items is to try and handle things as soon as possible. Set up space in your house where you are going to compile your different plastic and paper-based recyclables, and as soon as you come across something that fits the bill, move it over. That will keep you from building too much clutter, and give you something you can easily fit into your lifestyle. If you see small food scraps, be sure to clean them off, if possible.
Equally important is knowing recycling procedures for your area. In some places, there’s recycling pickup, just like garbage pickup. In others, you need to do the transport yourself.
If you’re struggling to create a workflow for your waste, especially in a commercial setting, you may need added help. Sunrise Sanitation is a local company that provides waste management and recycling services across West Virginia and Maryland. Visit our website to learn more about the services we have to offer.
