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Knowing what to recycle and what not to may seem like a mystery to most people, luckily, this article will unwrap the mystery.

Recycling plays an integral part in managing the amount of waste being sent to the landfill. But it does far more than that.

Keep reading to find out more:

What Does Recyclable Mean And Why Is It Important?

The word recyclable refers to a material or product that can be repurposed to create a new product. 

It requires the old product to go through a unique industrial process to find a new purpose for the items.

With raw materials like:

• Gold
• Oil
• Aluminum 

… running lower than ever, it’s so important to start recycling materials. 

Recycling materials like aluminum reduces the demand for mining new raw materials. Mining new materials uses a lot of energy, which leaves a huge carbon footprint on the planet.

By recycling aluminum it can save vast amounts of energy being wasted. AGI reported recycling aluminum could save 94% of the energy needed to produce it from raw material.

This energy-saving is enough to provide electricity for up to 8,000,000 homes.

And this isn’t the only reason why recycling is so important.

Most of the materials that can be recycled are not biodegradable. Stopping these materials hitting landfills is more crucial than ever.

Landfill sites are struggling to keep up with the demand people are putting on them. And because these items aren’t biodegrading, the pile continues to grow.

The worst part is:

A lot of the waste is overflowing into the ocean, killing marine life all over the world, and damaging the ecosystem.

Things have got so bad there’s even a Great Pacific garbage patch the size of 1.6 million square kilometers.

By recycling items like plastic, it can significantly improve the dire situation the world now finds itself in and shows people care.

9 Items You Should Start Recycling Today

As mentioned earlier, knowing what to recycle can be a mystery. There are so many rules to follow, depending on the material being recycled. 

To make life easier, they can split into five main categories:

Splitting recyclable items into categories makes it easier to understand; it can even lead to more recycling ideas.

Here are some items that need to be recycled:

1. Plastic Bottles

Millions of plastic bottles are used in the USA every hour, creating a massive problem with trash. Because of the number of plastic bottles used around the world, it’s the number one ocean pollutant.

The thing is they can be recycled with ease from any recycling curbside program. Some places are even giving money for the next purchase in return for the old bottle.

2. Straws

They’re one of the biggest killers of sea turtles and birds. But it’s also an unknown fact that they can actually be recycled. 

The trick is to put the straws into a #5 plastic container; once the box is full, it can be sent to the recycling center.

The hardest part is finding a recycling center that will accept them. The easiest way to find a recycling center is by using Earth 911; they have a massive database of recycling centers that can be searched via location.   

3. Mobile Phones

Recycling a mobile phone is very important for the planet. They contain a lot of valuable materials that require mining to acquire more.

Recycling mobile phones stops the need to mine more raw materials. Yet it’s thought only 10% of phones are recycled.

This is a huge waste of materials, especially considering you can get paid for recycling them.

4. Batteries 

They are another vital piece of electronics that needs to be recycled. They contain many harmful chemicals that can damage the planet if they are not disposed of correctly.

Many states have made it illegal to dispose of batteries in the regular trash. 

Recycling batteries is super easy; most supermarkets have a recycling bin to drop the batteries in.

5. Foil Wrap   

Foil wrap is made with aluminum, so it’s an essential item to recycle. The thing is it’s not easy, and not all recycling centers accept it.

It poses too much of a contamination risk due to it being used with food. To recycle foil wrap, it needs to be cleaned and rolled into big balls.

6. Aerosol Cans

They’re classed as a hazardous waste due to the chemicals inside the cans. It’s also one of the main reasons many recycling centers don’t accept them. 

Finding a center can be done using the Earth 911 site. Once a recycling center has been found, the cans need to be empty, and the plastic lid removed.

7. Gift Wrap

Every year billions of gift wrap rolls are used, and this is causing problems for the planet. 

It requires trees to get chopped down, but it also means a lot of it being sent to a landfill site.

Gift wrap with glitter or foil lining can’t be recycled, so it’s best to avoid it. The rest can be recycled at the curbside.

8. Paper Plates

For paper plates to be recycled, they need to be free of grease and any other contaminants. If the recycling center sees any trace of food, they will chuck them in the landfill.

Make sure any paper plates have been thoroughly cleaned beforehand. Any dishes that are too soiled can be put in the compost.

9. Light Bulbs

Some light bulbs like CFL bulbs contain mercury, which makes them extremely dangerous to human health. For this reason alone, it’s super essential they get disposed of correctly.

Many big hardware stores have recycling centers that expect bulbs, make sure they go to the right place.

Round-Up 

That’s just a few items that can be recycled, but there are far more recyclable materials that need exploring.

Recycling is vital to help the planet recover from the damage humans have created. It reduces the amount of trash build-up, reduces energy consumption, and lowers pollution levels.