Home recycling can feel like piecing together a difficult puzzle sometimes, but being right does make a difference. Each time you toss something into the recycling bin, you’re more than just cleaning up. You’re keeping hazardous materials out of landfills, reducing pollution, and making your community and the world around it a healthier, cleaner place. Of course, with all those various regulations out there, it’s simple to get confused. So let’s keep it simple.
Here’s the simple view of what belongs in your recycling bin, what doesn’t, and how to handle those pesky items that always seem to catch people off guard.
The first step to recycling correctly is to know what your local program will accept. In Hillsborough County, among other areas, the blue recycling cart is intended for empty, clean plastic bottles and containers, aluminum cans, glass jars and bottles, dry paper, cardboard, and paperboard boxes. Place these loose in the cart, not bagged, to allow them to be sorted and handled suitably. Leave the caps on plastic bottles, and rinse all containers quickly to remove food or liquid. Flatten cardboard containers, such as pizza boxes (if they’re not greasy), to conserve space and make pickup simpler.
As crucial as learning what to recycle is learning what *not* to recycle. Some of the most frequent errors include tossing in plastic bags, which jam up the sorting machines, or such things as garden hoses, electronics, batteries, and light bulbs. These require special care and are not part of your regular recyclables. Food waste, dirty paper, and yard trimmings also cannot go in the blue cart. In your local area, food and yard waste may have to be taken separately for composting. Clothing, shoes, and other fabrics should be donated if still in condition, or taken to a special drop-off point if they are not.
Some items must be handled with special care when they are disposed of. Electronics must be brought to designated collection events or drop-off locations. Household hazardous waste, such as old paint, cleaners, pesticides, or propane tanks, must never be thrown in the trash or recycling.
These are toxic and must be brought to a hazardous waste station. Batteries and light bulbs also have their regulations: in many locations, the single-use batteries are acceptable in the trash, but the rechargeable ones must be recycled at special sites.
To recycle more conveniently at home, organize a simple sorting system. Use well-labeled recycling, compost, and trash containers and store them in convenient locations such as the kitchen or garage. If you reside in an apartment or condominium, ask your building manager about recycling options for your building, or find out where you can bring your recyclables around the area.
And if you’re ever unsure, your local waste management agency probably has a brochure, a website, or even little videos to clarify what goes into what.
Recycling correctly isn’t merely a matter of adherence to rules—it’s your contribution to the preservation of your health, the health of the planet, and the improvement of your overall community.
With a bit of extra effort and some intelligence, you can truly make a positive difference—one blue bin at a time.