Recycling dos and don’ts

It’s time to talk about recycling — the why, the rules and the symbols

Each year in the UK, households throw away 23 million metric tonnes of waste — that’s 394 kilograms per person! (finder. com) Yet, of all this waste, only around 45.5 per cent is recycled (statista.com), though this is a massive improvement from years gone by. Recycling is one of the easiest ways to alleviate your footprint on the planet, since it is essentially reusing existing materials; turning something old into something new by using the materials which made up the old item.

The more we recycle, the less raw materials we demand, and the less pressure we put on the Earth to give us those resources, conserving natural materials. Not only that, but by recycling, you prevent waste from being incinerated or going to landfill, thereby stopping it from breaking down to release planet-warming gases like methane and carbon dioxide. As well as this, recycling protects local ecosystems and wildlife from pollution — since landfill waste often blows away to harm the environment.

Dos and don’ts

Unfortunately, not everything can be recycled, usually materials like polystyrene and dark coloured plastics. If you put items into the recycling bin that cannot be recycled, you risk contaminating the whole bin, thereby causing the recyclable materials to forgo recycling. Here are some handy tips to help you to recycle correctly.

Do

Rinse containers before putting in bin

By rinsing, you speed up the operations at the recycling facility, saving them time and money. Without rinsing, food particles can clog up machines and cause major problems. If there is a lot of food left in your container, it can also contaminate the whole batch, causing it to instead, be sent to landfill.

Squash items down

If you push and flatten your recycling waste down (including bottles and cardboard boxes), you will be able to fit more into your bin for each collection. This will make the process of recycling more worthwhile for you and your local council and mean that less vehicles need to be on the road.

Place items loose into recycling bins Instead of putting your recycling into a bin liner in your bin, dump them in loose — this is because the materials that can be recycled do not include bin liners.

Remove packing tape

Peel off any duct or Sellotape from your packaging, as this cannot be recycled.

Double check your area’s recycling rules Since local recycling rules vary, check yours with your local council or look on recyclenow.com.

Don’t

Use black bin bags for recycling

Black refuse sacks cannot be recycled, so don’t use them for your recycling! If you do use one, your waste won’t be taken away by the authorities and will be left, building up to your own inconvenience.

Leave labels on

Labels are made from a different material to the cardboard boxes, glass bottles and plastic cartons upon which they are stuck and are not usually recyclable themselves. If you leave them on, you risk contaminating your recycling. Remove them by hand or through soaking in warm water, prior to putting the packaging in the bin.

‘Russian doll’ recycle

Don’t put packaging items inside one another, this confuses the recycling machines meaning the whole lot might get rejected.

Fling something in if you’re not sure

If in doubt, leave it out! Over two thirds of all UK households place materials into the recycling bin that can’t actually be recycled in their local area (blog.coop.uk). Likewise, wishcycling — the practice of putting something into the recycling bin, hoping that it will be recycled (even though it may be unsuitable, contaminated or only partially recyclable) — is a real problem in the UK. Educate yourself on what can actually be recycled. Check the symbols on the packaging or research online if you’re unsure.