Monday, September 2, 2019

How to recycle...correctly?

Hi again!

Although recycling looks like the simple task of putting plastic, glass,metals, papers, cardboard, etc in a different bin than your trash, it is much more complicated. I'm not trying to scare you nor make you feel it will take a bit chunk of your time, but doing it right is an 'art', and as such, it requires a little bit practice and a lot of patience.

Today I will go over some basic examples about proper ways to recycle certain objects. Let's go over the simple stuffs:

Water bottles, Milk bottles, Gatorade bottles, dish soap bottles or any plastic bottles

In order to recycle it properly you MUST:

1) Remove the label

2) Remove the lid

3) And even the plastic ring!! 

Just like in the picture below: 


Some curbside programs and recycling places are able to take the lids and the rings , but almost guaranteed you will have to discard the label in the trash. For Michiganders: the caps can be donated to Scrap Ann Arbor

Unfortunately, the bottle will be the only recyclable piece. 

Plastic egg cartons (wtf?), cherry tomatoes, salad containers, veggie trays! 

Similarly, you will have to remove the labels on these containers. 

Just like the picture below!


Metal cans for beans, corn, fruits and so forth!

Please, please! Metal is one of the most important material to be recycled because it can be used almost unlimited times - unlike plastic. But, once more - as like the other containers - you have to remove the label!



Pasta boxes, frozen dinners or any type of box with a small plastic "window"

In general, for space and simplicity, disassemble the box and always remove the little plastic window of the box. Unfortunately, that plastic window cannot be recycle, but the cardboard most likely can be recycled. 




Some pasta boxes come with a sign that says How2Recycle - Which you can also see on the blue shipping envelopes from Amazon- . This is a special recycling program where specific locations (i.e. Target) receives certain types of items. For more info click here

There are a lot of other things that you need to consider, but these initial rules will help you to start your recycling process more effectively!



Do more research!! The internet is a great resource! Just look at this great webpage: http://apps.npr.org/plastics-recycling/





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