Recycling is essential since we need to reutilize primary raw material and save energy, both limited and nonrenewable resources. Moreover, recycling is important also because many landfills are already full of waste which release chemicals and greenhouse gasses, thus harming our planet and the creatures that live on it.
Therefore, it is crucial to recycle and to do it right. Here are the most common mistakes people still make when recycling.
Pay Attention to Recycling Guidelines in Your Country
Separate collection is mainly a gesture of civilization, as well as a duty.
It’s not always as simple as you think, especially with some dubious materials. For this reason, the first thing to do in order to avoid mistakes when recycling is to be aware of the guidelines provided by your country and your city. For example, some municipalities require you to throw milk kettles into paper, while others require you to throw them into plastic. Knowing the right ways to separate your waste will therefore allow you not to do this in vain.
One of the most common mistakes when recycling is that people forget to clean recyclable waste or ignore that it is very important to do that. In fact, items covered in food cannot be recycled. Therefore, do not forget to wash plastic and glass bottles, containers, and tin cans. The grease on pizza boxes are also a problem. The best thing to do is to separate the greasy part and recycle the uncontaminated part.
The Right Materials in the Right Bin
Another big mistake is not removing bottle caps since, by doing this, there is a higher chance of liquid being trapped in the bottles or, at the very least, air trapped inside. This makes plastic waste weight more and, as a consequence, it makes it harder to process. Also, do not forget to remove the lids from glass bottles and jars and recycle them.
Putting your recycled waste in plastic bags makes it more likely that your waste will be thrown in the landfills. Since it is very illogical to recycle to then make your work useless by punting the waste in plastic bags, avoid doing it!
Did you know that aluminium is 100% recyclable? Do not forget to recycle aluminium foil – such as chocolate foil -, coffee capsules etc. since aluminium is a valuable resource. Even better it you could wash the foil and reuse it multiple times.
To make recycling easier, a good solution may be to start buying products with eco-friendly packaging so that you may be 100% sure that the waste you are creating is totally recyclable. Thus you will be able to reduce your environmental impact.
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