I love the fact that just about anything is able to be recycled in this day and age. I also no longer have to sort out the number 1 plastic containers from the number 2s and the green glass from the brown. Even if you don't live in an area where items to be recycled are picked up directly from your home, you still might be able to use these 7 tips on recycling.
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Get the Entire Family Involved
Trying to handle the recycling all on your own can become quite a chore. The larger your family is, the more items there will be to sort through for recycling. Kids are never too young to learn the process involved in recycling items. Teach them the basics and they will be thrilled to help out.
Post a List of What Can Be Recycled
A number of websites provide a list of items that are able to be recycled. If you have a recycling center in your area, the center should be able to provide you with a list of all the items they accept and in what condition these items will be accepted in. If you have very small children, place a picture of the recyclable item above the receptacle is supposed to go in. This will make it easier for even the youngest child in the house to get the container in the correct bin.
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Locate Various Pickup Points for Random Recyclables
Cell phones, batteries, ink cartridges, eye glasses, old paint, used car oil, and many other oddities can be recycled by certain centers. Larger cities have a specific drop off point for items.
Utilize as Much Junk Mail as Possible
Getting your name put on the Do Not Mail list doesn’t always work. You might as well utilize as much of your junk mail as possible. Save the envelopes to use later, if possible. There are often full sheets of paper that are blank on one side and can be used for scratch paper or for the kids to draw on.
Check with Recycling Center in Your Area to See What Their Requirements Are
Most centers don’t require containers to be cleaned nor have their labels removed before they are dropped off. This definitely speeds up the time it takes to gather items for recycling. It also eliminates the chance that someone simply tosses a recyclable item in the trash, just because it takes too long to wash the item out. I find that if you rinse out a container right after it is emptied, it comes clean very quickly and then the bin of recyclables doesn't start to smell horrid either.
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Double Check Number on the Bottom of Plastic Containers
Smaller recycling centers might only accept plastic items with lower numbers on the bottom of them, such as 1 or 2. There are larger cities where all types of plastic containers are able to be dropped off. It's best to check with the place you are dropping off recyclables at to see what their restrictions are.
Have a Standard Location to Store Recyclable
Place a line of totes along a wall in the basement or on the back porch. Label each tote so that everyone knows what items are to be placed inside of the tote. If there are only a couple of people living in the household, then you might be able to get away with a single tote that gets sorted out before the recyclables are dropped off.
I hope these 7 tips on recycling will help you set up a system that works well for you. What types of recycling programs are offered in your area?
Top image source: hastings.gov.uk
