When Recycling Goes Wrong - Common Recycling Mistakes

All of us know how to recycle, right? And we all know what things are recyclable, too. But do we always recycle everything correctly? Not so much.

Okay, so recycling isn't rocket science. But the truth is, there are several common recycling mistakes.

Just Grab a Bin and Throw It In, Right?

Not to so fast!

There's a bit more to proper recycling practices than simply tossing everything you think can be recycled into a container. Contrary to what many people think, not all plastics are recyclable - at least not in any feasible or affordable way. 

And even many cardboard waste products must be diverted from the recycling process. (Think: pizza boxes)

Not to mention the variety of waste glass items that are rendered non- recyclable. 

In fact, there are quite a few common recycling mistakes that most people make even though they are trying to be environmentally responsible and fashionably "green". 

Not All Trash is Created Equal - Contaminated Waste Products

The problem is that so much of what we toss out is contaminated in some form or another.  It can be grease or water in cardboard, or paper labels glued to broken glass, or plastic containers infused with foil or paper. 

An article from RecyclingToday illustrates this fact.

In 2018, Erie County, Pennsylvania's sustainability coordinator, Brittany Prischak was quoted, saying:

“The removal of glass from the curbside and commercial recycling programs is not limited to Erie County,” Prischak says. “This is happening across the state of Pennsylvania, as well as throughout the country. It has absolutely nothing to do with a lack of environmental consciousness at the recycling facilities.”

Glass that is collected and sorted through curbside programs is "highly contaminated," making the materials "useless."

“Glass recycling companies do not usually want this glass,” Prischak says. “In addition, broken glass can stick to paper and cardboard, contaminating those materials. And this has been an ongoing issue for a while. Only now, though, are they just removing it from the collection process.”

In a similar fashion, this is true for many cardboard and paperboard products. According to the website Recycling.com,

Most cardboard can be recycled, such as boxes, plates, tubes, fiberboard, and paperboard. But contaminated cardboard with grease or oil, such as a pizza box, can't be recycled into high-quality cardboard.

And many people still think, incorrectly, that all plastic items are recyclable. Apparently not. A short list of what is not recyclable comes from a UK recycler,

Examples of non-recyclable plastics include bioplastics, composite plastic, plastic-coated wrapping paper and polycarbonate. Well known non-recyclable plastics include cling film and blister packaging.

In addition to a variety of contamination and machine sorting issues that render many items un-recyclable, there are several other mistakes we can make when it comes to recycling.

Common Recycling Mistakes People Make When Recycling

Proper recycling practices are a combination of education and habit. 

Learning and understanding which waste items are not suitable for recycling is essential, as is building the habit and lifestyle of practicing recycling at all times. That includes at home, at work, at school, and anywhere outside of those places where we happen to be.

We put together this handy graphic to illustrate nine common mistakes many of us make when it comes to recycling:

Junk King is Your Local Choice and Best Choice for Junk Removal

This is because Junk King always provides efficient, safe, and eco-friendly junk removal designed to make the whole process easy for you.

Which means you can rest assured that our experienced junk removal team has all the resources needed to remove and haul away large junk items, bulky materials, and just about any other trash items you have - quickly, easily, and efficiently. 

Your local Junk King team also makes sure that your reusable items end up in the right place. This might be a local non-profit group for those items that are still in usable condition, or a recycling facility so that your junk and other bulk trash items are disposed of in an eco-friendly way.

Yes, we recycle.

That's because "being green" and environmentally responsible is at the core of our company mission. And we carry out that mission every day by recycling, donating, or repurposing everything we possibly can - up to 60 percent or more, to be exact.

We work hard to ensure that as little trash and junk as possible ends up in a landfill.

So, when it comes to bulk trash removal, we take the eco-friendly route by making sure that all the metals, plastics, glass, and other materials are broken down and recycled properly.

And, best of all, we do all the heavy lifting!

You simply point and we haul your trash items into our junk removal trucks, with no hidden fees.

Our professional and insured junk removal and disposal team will call 15 to 30 minutes before we arrive at your home. And, once we’re there, we’ll give you a free estimate based on how much room your bulk trash will take up in our truck, along with any other junk items you want to get rid of.

So, are you ready to get rid of all your junk? It's as easy as 1, 2, 3!

Just make an appointment by booking online above or by calling 1.888.888.JUNK (5865).