Recycling - Recycling 101

When you consider the amount of rubbish generated annually by just one household, you realize why recycling is so vital.

However about 70 per cent of what we throw away could be recycled but isn't. Countries like Denmark, Norway, Sweden, German, Austria and the Netherlands have had efficient public recycling programs for decades; but in the United States only one quarter of the 200 million tonnes of trash produced - about 4lb (2kg) per person per day - is recycled.

What can be recycled?

Some people say they don't recycle because its too confusing to know what can or cannot be recycled. Recycling is as easy as trashing, but so much more responsible. Here are the basics:

PAPER

Newspaper, flyers, magazines, letter and copy paper, colored paper, envelopes, phone books, brochures, paperback books, greeting cards.
Note: Staples and paper clips do not need to be removed. Heavy duty clips must be removed.

ALUMINIUM

Food and drink containers, foil trays (ie, TV dinner trays) and aluminium foil wrap.

TIN CANS

Food and drink cans, jar lids, empty aerosol cans
Note: Remove the labels.

PLASTIC

Plastic can be recycled, but it faces a big problem - plastic types must not be mixed for recycling. The plastic industry has developed a series of numbered markers, commonly seen on the bottom of plastic containers to identify the plastic type.

Collection of recyclable material

Collecting recyclables varies from community to community, but there are four primary methods: curbside, drop-off centers, buy-back centers, and deposit/refund programs.

Visit the National Recycling Coalition website for State & Local Recycling Resources.

Curbside Recycling

Curbside recycling now serves half of the U.S. population, providing the most convenient means for households to recycle a variety of materials.

While all curbside programs differ, the most commonly included materials are The Big Five: aluminum cans, glass bottles, paper, plastic and steel/tin cans.

A guide to Plastics

	#1 PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate) is the most recycled plastic - Plastic soft drink bottles, water bottles, mouthwash & salad dressing bottles. Recycled PET is used to make bottles for cleaning products or other non-food containers, egg cartons, sailboat hulls, industrial paints, and fiber products (carpets, t-shirts, and jackets).
	# 2 HDPE (high-density polyethylene) is the most widely used household plastic - Milk, water, juice, shampoo, dish washing liquid and laundry detergent bottles; yoghurt & margarine tubs; cereal box liners; grocery & trash bags. Recycled HDPE is used to make plastic lumber, plastic toys, traffic barrier cones, trash cans, detergent bottles, garbage bags and grocery bags.
	# 3 PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is the plastic used in flooring, plumbing, shower curtains, house siding and garden hoses. Though PVC is harder to recycle, it can be processed to make drainage piping, fencing, handrails and house siding.
	#4 LDPE (low-density polyethylene) is used to make cellophane wrap, disposable diaper liners, frozen food bags, and squeeze bottles. The nature of products made from LDPE make it very difficult to recycle.
	# 5 PP (polypropylene) is commonly used in ketchup bottles, aerosol caps, drinking straws, yogurt containers. Recycling centers rarely take #5 PP plastic. Look for alternatives whenever possible.
	# 6 PS (polystyrene or polystyrene foam)is found in coffee cups, plastic cutlery, take-out food packaging, egg cartons, and packaging peanuts. Many shipping/packaging stores will accept polystyrene peanuts and other packaging materials for reuse. Cups, meat trays and other containers used for food are rarely accepted for recycling. Look for alternatives whenever possible.
	# 7 Other Common uses: certain kinds of food containers and Tupperware. This plastic category, as its name of "other" implies, is any plastic other than the named #1-#6 plastic types. These containers can be any of the several different types of plastic polymers. Recycling centers cannot recycle plastic #7. Look for alternatives.

Top 10 Items to Recycle

1. Aluminum
2. PET Plastic Bottles
3. Newspaper
4. Corrugated Cardboard
5. Steel Cans
6. HDPE Plastic Bottles
7. Glass Containers
8. Magazines
9. Mixed Paper
10. Computers

source: National Recycling Coalition