Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

If it looks like it could be recycled, why can’t I just toss it in the recycling tote and let them sort it out?

It’s called “wish-cycling”—dropping things in the curbside recycle tote in hopes they will be recycled. But this can contaminate the recycling stream so that true recyclables can’t be retrieved. Some items like cords and small metal objects can jam or break machinery. This raises costs and adds an extra sorting step to the recycling stream for items that must be pulled out and sent to the landfill instead. Your wish turns into a recycling nightmare. When in doubt, toss it out. Calculate your household recycling footprint when you recycle all you can.

Find Out What Can Go in the Recycling