By: Isabella Sanchez, Gaia Planet Project Developer
April 6th, 2024
What you can and can’t recycle varies by state, or even city! This page includes general regulations,
but know what should be held onto for recycling bins and what goes in the regular trash can for your area.
…
Can’s:
01
Plastics
Clean plastics such as water bottles and jugs can be recycled, but know that not all plastics can be (NOTE: The “chasing arrows” don’t necessarily mean you can recycle the item).
02
Paper
You can recycle paper, newspaper, and magazines!
03
Cardboard
When flattened, cardboards and paperboards can be recycled. You can even recycle pizza boxes, just make sure they’re free of any food first!
04
Aluminum
Empty aluminum and tin can be recycled. In fact, aluminum can be recycled infinitely!
05
Steel
You can recycle your steel containers, including aerosol sprays such as hairspray.
06
Glass
Glass is typically recyclable, but may have specific drop-off locations/instructions depending on what area you’re in.
Cannot’s:
01
Plastic Bags
Do not recycle bags, including those that you may use to collect all your recyclable items in. It is best to empty such bags in the recycling bin and repurpose the bag elsewhere.
02
Plastic Wrap/Film
This includes sandwich or refrigerator bags. It is best to repurpose such plastics, as they are non-recyclable.
03
Cups w/ Wax or Plastic Coating
These cups and their plastic lids are not recyclable. Consider investing in a reusable cup that you will be able to wash and hang onto for a while. A steel cup could be used for a long time, then later recycled!
04
Polystyrene Foam/Plastic
These “to-go” containers are not recyclable, nor are packing peanuts. However, there are shipping stores that take those packing peanuts back!
[Waste Management]
Why is recycling important?
If you’ve ever seen images of landfills, you know that they’re often filled to the brim. By recycling, we can reduce the amount of trash and waste that is sent to landfills/incinerators.
Additionally, recycling can conserve our natural resources too, such as water [Environmental Protection Agency]. The process of extracting virgin raw materials and manufacturing them wastes water. When we recycle, we’re contributing to saving water that is used in the manufacturing process [Treehugger]. We also reduce pollution and greenhouse gases production, which manufacturing is often responsible for as well.
Recycling also saves energy and creates jobs in the ever-growing recycling and manufacturing industries [Environmental Protection Agency]. For those reasons amongst many others, it’s imperative that we make recycling a habit as well as know what proper recycling entails!
Organizations/Sites
Keep America Beautiful
- Volunteer for one of their events
- Donate to the organization
- Explore all the ways they’ve helped the environment!
Earth911
- Explore their articles
- Participate in their eWaste program
- Find in-depth recycling lessons
Soles4Souls
- Donate your old shoes
- Start a shoe drive
- Register to volunteer
Art of Recycle
- Donate to the organization
- Become a volunteer
- Participate in a workshop!
