Recycle

Guide to recycling

Good

• Unbroken glass containers
• Clear is the most valuable. Lids can go with metal.
• Clean dry newspapers &
• newspaper insertsEmpty metal cans, caps, lids, bands and foilPlastic stamped #1 or #2
• on the bottom. Some areas only accept clear plastic or certain shapes.
• Grocery bags, most clear plastic bags especially if marked #2 or #4Mixed paper: junk mail, magazines, photocopies, computer printouts, cereal/shoe boxes, etc. (some places also take corrugated cardboard and phone books)Scrap aluminum such as lawn chairs, window frames and pots. Motor oil (never dump into storm drains) and Tires.
• Automotive batteries, sealed lead/gel-cell batteriesRechargeable batteries (cordless phone, camcorder, shaver, portable appliance, computer, etc.)
• Laser/Ink printer cartridges Household toxics (paints, oils, solvents, pesticides, cleaners)
• Computers, eyeglasses, household goods

Bad

• Ceramics, pyrex, tablware, windows, lightbulbs, mirrors. Broken glass is hard to sort.
• Rubber bands, plastic bags, product samples, water, dirt, mold or other contamination.
• Full cans, spray cans unless instructed, cans with paint or hazardous waste.
• Plastic types #3, #4, #5, #6 or especially #7. Caps are usually a different type from the bottle - toss if unmarked.
• Paper, water, dirt, mold or other contamination.
• Stickers, napkins, tissues, waxed paper, milk cartons, carbon paper, laminated paper (fast food wraps, some food bags, drink boxes, foil), neon paper, thermal fax paper. Any wet or food stained paper.
• Metal parts attracted to magnets. Non-metal parts.
• There is no need to remove labels or bands from cans and bottles. Clean only enough to prevent odors. Do not recycle containers with traces of hazardous materials. Do not recycle dirty or food stained paper.

Notes

• Only bottle glass is acceptable. Ceramics contaminate glass. Glass is normally color sorted for recycling.
• Pack newspapers tightly in large brown grocery sacks or tie with natural twine. Keep dry.
• Metals can be recycled again and again.
• Even a small amount of the wrong type of plastic can ruin a melt. Much plastic collected for recycling is actually landfilled.
• Reduce your need; reuse bags until they're torn. Use old bags to pick up dog waste. Many grocery stores have a barrel for recycling old bags.
• When in doubt, throw it out. Paper fiber can be recycled about 7 times before it gets too small. Plastic window envelopes are ok.
• Aluminum is not attracted to magnets. Call your garbage company, local quick-lube, tire shop or call 1-800-MOTOROIL. Old oil and old tires are serious problems.
• Keep lead out of the environment; take to an automotive or security dealer for recycling or trade in.
• Call 1-800-8BATTERY for information. Throw alkaline and heavy duty batteries in trash unless prohibited (See California Universal Waste Note. Nickel-Cadmium rechargeable batteries contain toxins, please recycle.
• Send to one of the many recyclers or refillers. Call your garbage company for advice. Do not dump into storm drains.
• Donate to charity. Give to a repair shop.

This is world's shortest comprehensive USA/Canada recycling guide. Contains generalizations; local procedures may differ. From the Consumer Recycling Guide, "www.obviously.COM/recycle/". ©1997-2006 Evergreen Industries. Remember: Unless you buy recycled products, you are not recycling.

Where to recycle

There are many useful and helpful ways people can recycle. Here is a quick learning and understanding way of guiding you of what to recycle and what not to recycle. Let’s take a closer look at some ways recyclable materials can be composed.

Drop-Off Centers
Today, collection centers are increasing due to the fact that it is voluntary based. Residents are what keeping these collecting centers going by willingly driving to the centers for little or no payment. This also saves the community from curbside collection.

Curbside Collecting
Trash is picked up by residents’ curbsides or in some other designated place around the community area.

Deposits
Several sates in the U.S inflict change as in a five or 10-cent deposit on recyclable materialistic bottles and cans. Once consumers return the recyclable containers back to the store for recycling, they receive their deposits.

Reverse Vending Machines
Reverse vending machines are not as popular in usage as for recycling but they do help out a lot. In many places in only a few states, there are accept used bottles and/or containers and therefore, give money back to the consumer on the spot.