What recyclable items does my recycling center take? Recycling centers take everything from paper, plastics and glass to aluminum, cell phones, cartridges and transmission fluids. Recycling is a great way...
Recycling is a great way to make a difference and help improve the environment. But, it can be confusing and recyclers should educate themselves on which materials can and can not be recycled. Materials that can or can not be recycled differ from one recycling center to another because some do not have the ability to recycle some materials, some don't have enough storage space and others simply can not afford to take certain materials. To find out which materials your local recycling facility will take, you can call them directly or see if they have their own Web site.
There are certain recyclable items that are typically taken at most centers. The most common items that recycling facilities take are paper, plastics, aluminum, tin, steel, motor oil and old computers and cell phones. But, there are a variety of other materials larger, more advanced facilities can take.
The paper that can be recycled includes newspaper, magazines, office paper, food boxes and cardboard. "We take regular newspaper, magazines, books, junk mail, basically anything that will tear. We take corrugated cardboard and cereal boxes, things like that," says Tracy Herring, Supervisor for the City of Round Rock Environmental Services in Round Rock, Texas. Consumers use a wide variety of paper products, and the great thing about paper is that it can all be recycled and is relatively easy to recycle.
Plastic products typically taken by recycling centers are No. 1 and No. 2 plastics. This number can be found on the bottom of the container, inside the triangle recycling symbol. Examples of No. 1 and No. 2 plastics are soda bottles, milk jugs, liquid laundry soap containers and medicine containers. Some curbside pickup companies require that these containers be rinsed clean.
Metals such as aluminum, copper, tin and steel can also be recycled. This includes items such as food cans, soda cans, aluminum foil, aluminum siding, copper pipes and paint cans. These items also usually need to be rinsed before pickup.
Also recyclable are most glass items. That includes glass bottles, glass jars and insulation. It is important to recycle glass because it takes so much less energy to recycle it than to make it new. Glass bottles and jars should also be properly rinsed before set out for curbside pickup.
However, this list is only a general list. It's a good idea to find out what your area's facility can take because there are a wide variety of items that centers have recently been able to start taking, and that differs from center to center. Herring says of her facility, "We take car batteries, oil and oil filters, transmission fluids, inkjet cartridges and cell phones." Some places will also give money or tax breaks for certain items brought in. So, you can help the environment and help yourself too! To recycle all that you can, educate yourself on the services offered by your local recycling center. Recycling is a great way to help the environment and make a difference for the planet.
