How do you tell whats recyclable and whats not?

Question

I have a hard time with this.

I try to recycle but I dont always know if I can recycle that item.

Some things dont have the arrows

Like is shinny paper recyclable?

I need any tips you can give me.

Answer 1

try www.earth911.com. There you can find local recycle facilities and what they will accept. Most things are recyclable, but some items are harder to find a place to recycle them.

Don't forget about hazardous waste. Never put batteries or electronics into the garbage. Your local waste managment facility should have instructions on how to dispose of hazardous waste, that will also include almost any nonedible liquid, like paints, oil, cleaners and garden products.

Answer 2

Our recycling center wants

shinny paper IE magazines, shinny newspaper ads shinny paper ads from mail

newspapers

White office, no envelopes with plastic windows



junk mall ,envelopes with plastic windows

all separate

cardboard flattened (no waxed coated)

paperboard  IE cereal,soda  type boxes flattened

glass and plastic # (1 ,2 )  rinsed lids removed

Answer 3

Like commented above, definitely call your garbarge company, or possibly try to go online and find a list.

But for plastics (I can recycle # 1-6), only recycle the stuff with a number with a triangle. It's hard to throw out other plastic that is stupid and doesn't have a number, but it could end up just causing more problems if you were to recycle it.

Also, I'm allowed to recycle aluminum, cardboard (cereal box strength), glass (only unbroken...sadly, no lightbulbs), steel (like the bendy stuff, that dog food comes in), and paper (including envelopes with the little window, magazines, bills, shiny paper...practically all types of paper)

But with the paper and carboard, I'm required to have those seperated from the aluminum/plastic/etc.

I hope this helped!

p.s. I have Allied Waste Services as my company...but I'm not sure if the recycling varies state-to-state.

Answer 4

Most things can be recycled in some form or another, but some things require more effort on your part to do so. Soda cans, for example, can be recycled at some grocery stores.  Some people don't find it worth the effort (or don't feel the nickel is enough incentive in areas where there is a deposit) so they toss them.  If you have curbside recycling, you can contact your municipality for detailed information about what you can recycle and how you should "prepare" it for recycling.  If you don't have curbside recycling you may have to research places that will take your recycling.  It's all about how much effort you want to put into it.  

Earth 911 (http://earth911.org/recycling/) has a search engine to find places to recycle various materials (batteries, lightbulbs, etc.)  You type in an item and your zipcode and it will tell you where to recycle it.  Check it out.

Answer 5

Contact the company that handles your recycling.  They will have a list for you of what you can recycle.  And you can ask them about specific things like the shiny paper.

Answer 6

Hi, it actually depends where u live so best to ring your local council and they will tell u.

I live in Aylsham and can only recycle paper and cardboard (must be clean and dry), plastic bottles only (no other plastic and they must be rinsed out first) and food cans (again, they must be rinsed clean).  

Definitly worth doing tho, its so much better for the environment and you'd be surprised how much of your waste is recycled.  We also do glass, clothes and shoes at the local bottle banks etc

Hope this is of some help :o)

Answer 7

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recycling

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Answer 8

Everything is recyclable. Some items just require more effort in doing so.

Direct answer for shiny paper: I used to work in a printing plant, and they would bail up the shiny paper separate from other paper, and it would be recycled to make things like egg cartons. It doesn't recycle into new paper very well.

My best advice for you is to have a talk with your local recycling center. Take stuff in question with you. Ask them questions like "can I bring this here to be recycled?" and if not "is there anywhere else nearby that I can take it for recycling?"

I have discovered that scraps of wood (nail free, and not treated wood) can often just be shredded up like they shred tree limbs, and composted. Also vinyl siding can be melted down and new siding made from it, but the color does not come out even. I would consider using something like this recycled siding on a barn or shed if it's cheaper than it's new counterpart.