We all know that recycling is important. It helps to reduce waste and preserve our environment. But did you know that not all materials can be recycled? And, even if they can be recycled, there’s a right way and a wrong way to go about it.
That’s where we come in. At Scrapays, we’re all about helping you recycle right. We’ll show you which materials can’t be recycled and how to properly dispose of them. Trust us, it’s not as complicated as it sounds. So let’s get started!
Let’s start with some basics. Recycling is the process of turning waste materials into new, usable products. It’s a great way to reduce waste and help the environment.
Items that can be recycled include:
- Plastic: Soft drinks containers, table water containers, transparent liquid containers, yellow ground nut oil keg, plastic plumbing pipes, cups, ice cream & more
- Aluminium: Pots, roofing, cans, taps, window frames, machine parts etc
- Copper: Copper coil, copper wire etc
- Composite Materials: TV, fridges, generator, wet battery cells etc
- Paper: Invoice, tellers, receipts, envelope etc
- Metal: Iron rods, screws, bolts, metal cups, machine parts, food cans, spray cans etc
However, not all materials can be recycled. For example, let’s say you have a glass jar that can’t be recycled. You can’t just throw it in the trash – that would be wasteful. Instead, you can recycle it by breaking it into small pieces and using it as gravel for your garden. Or, let’s say you have plastic that can’t be recycled. You can’t just throw it in the trash. Instead, you can recycle it by cutting it up and using it as a plant pot.
Now let’s take a look at the non-recyclable items and how to dispose of them:
- Takeaway coffee cups: Most disposable coffee cups are made of paper, so many people think they can be recycled. Unfortunately, disposable paper cups are lined with a small layer of plastic to prevent them from leaking. This plastic lining makes them very difficult to recycle. For that reason, coffee cups must be placed in the garbage. The plastic lids, however, can usually be recycled, as can the cardboard sleeves that come with some cups.
- Diapers: Dirty diapers obviously hold a lot of human waste, so they could potentially be a health hazard if anyone or anything encounters them. If you can, dump the nappy’s contents into your toilet and ball it up tightly so it doesn’t open in the bin.
- Food waste: This can be tackled with three methods;
- Separate spoiled foods. You should act fast to deal with spoiled food that will quickly go bad. Such foods should be separated from the rest of your trash, kept in heavy-duty plastic bags and disposed of quickly. If practical, put meats and other foods that soon rot into the garbage on the day they are collected. Rotting food will attract pests and insects.
- Flush items down the sink or toilet. Soft things other than oils and fats may be chopped into small pieces and flushed down the sink drain, or more significant amounts may be flushed down the toilet. Use this method for soft food scraps, like rotten tomatoes, not rigid items, like bones.
- Collect oils and fats in a container. Dispose of cooking oils and fats by collecting them in a jar or other containers you don’t mind throwing away. Do not pour hot oil or grease from cooking meats down your sink drain. This will cause plumbing problems that may be expensive.
- Polystyrene (foam): Polystyrene is a type of plastic which is not commonly recycled and should be placed in the general waste bin.
- Syringes or medical waste: Place all needles and other sharps in a sharps disposal container immediately after they have been used. This will reduce the risk of needle sticks, cuts, and punctures from loose sharps. Sharp disposal containers should be kept out of reach of children.
- Ceramics, ovenware or light bulbs: Ceramics, ovenware, cooking glass, drinking glass, and china cannot be recycled because they heat at a different rate than regular glass bottles and jars. Place it in your rubbish bin for disposal.
- Food-tainted items (paper plates, towels, or napkins): Contaminations can quickly be introduced into recycling when food-contaminated materials are recycled. They stick to the machine used for recycling and end up delaying the task. Put the items in a plastic waste bag, tie them securely, and place them in your bin.
It is always essential to recycle unused materials in our environment to build a healthy one. Items that cannot be recycled should be deposited correctly into trash cans or waste bins to preserve and sustain the environment.
