I know that recycling isn’t the most exciting topic to be blogging about, however, boring as it 
may be, all you Gorgeous recycling girls out there, (including Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock, Charlize Theron, and Alicia Silverstone,) should remember that you are successfully passing on an awesome habit to the next generation. In many schools and homes it’s now automatic for kids to search for the recycling bin when they want to throw something out. My daughter, sassy as she is, wouldn’t dream of chucking a used yogurt cup in the trash, however, now I have to add another step for her, before throwing it in, because of a little fact I’ve just discovered: Almost 1 third of all recyclables that you dutifully put in your curbside recycling bin, end up being contaminated by moisture from liquids, food waste, or green waste and can not be recycled. I must admit that I am totally guilty of throwing in rinsed-out, but still dripping yogurt containers and the like into my bin. So here’s a great little resolution – rinse out and dry everything. Even a small 12-ounce bottle of water could ruin 3-square feet of recyclable materials. So remember the big three to keep out of your recycling bins are: food waste, green waste and all liquids.
Here’s a quickie reminder of what shouldn’t be tossed in that bin:
Any paper or cardboard contaminated by food, liquid or oil (pizza boxes, paper towels, etc.)
Coated cardboard milk and juice cartons
Wood
Rubber
Plastic medical items
All Cloth, fabric and rags
Electrical cords and appliances
Kitchen Utensils
Mini-blinds
All construction materials including concrete.
All hazardous materials such as, aerosols, batteries, chemicals paints etc.
For more information about what your specific area accepts, go to Earth 911. You can also type an item into the search bar of this website to find out if it’s considered hazardous or not. If it is, I recommend keeping a box for all of these kinds of materials and when it’s full, visit the website again to find out where your nearest hazardous waste drop-off unit is.
