Do’s and Don’ts of Recycling

Recycling, something we’ve all heard about and most of us probably do. We know it’s important to recycle waste in order to conserve resources and maintain a healthy environment, but are we really doing everything we can when it comes to recycling our rubbish? The answer is, probably not. So here are a few tips and tricks to help you recycle properly.

Firstly, make sure you rinse out all containers such as bottles and jars. While glass and most plastic bottles can now be recycled, many will be rejected if they are contaminated with food waste. The same applies to takeaway packaging such as pizza boxes; these should not go into the recycling bin because the grease can contaminate many other items, causing them to be rejected when they reach the processing facility. If it’s rejected, it gets thrown away and will end up in landfill instead. Entire batches sometimes can’t be used because food waste is mixed in with the paper and cardboard.

Many of us use foil in our kitchens, and some products such as chocolate are often wrapped in it when we buy them. Do you recycle this foil, or just throw it in the bin? If it is clean and dry, scrunch it up and put it in your recycling, along with other aluminium items such as drinks cans. Squashing the cans will give you more space in the bin, and doesn’t affect its ability to be recycled.

Do you have a dedicated container in your bathroom for rubbish that can be recycled? If you have space, this is something to consider. All of the bottles that shampoo, conditioner and liquid soaps come in can be recycled, and they often get missed simply because the recycle bin is not near to the bathroom. You can’t recycle the pumps though, so make sure that you take these out first. The same rules apply to any household cleaning products.

How about aerosol cans, such as hairspray or deodorant? Made of steel and aluminium, you might be surprised to find that these can be recycled. Unlike most other containers though, don’t squash them. Just put them in with the rest of the recycling. These generally get missed because many people are concerned about them exploding, due to the propellant gases.

Coffee pods have increased in popularity dramatically over the last few years, and then the environmental concerns started to be reported. These can’t be thrown in the recycling at home, but Nespresso now offer a recycling service, both in their shops and at drop-off points, of which there are now 6000 around the country. All you need to do is contact them to get a recycling bag.

Items such as batteries and light bulbs can be dropped off at a collection point, found at many supermarkets. They will not be collected as part of your household recycling, and should not go into landfill, as many of them chemicals they contain are harmful to the environment if they leach out into the ground.

We all end up with clothing that needs to be thrown away, but did you know it can be recycled instead? You could take your old clothes to a charity shop, but if they really can’t be worn any more, your local council probably offers a collection service.

Before you recycle anything, you should try to remove the labels that will be stuck onto the containers, as these are often not recyclable. Some can simply be peeled off, but you might find that some need to be soaked in water first.

Finally, don’t put your recycling into a black bin bag and then into the bin. Most councils will refuse to collect these, as the black bags can’t be recycled. Ideally, all the items should be loose within the bin.