Salvage that Trash – and Your Sanity

The last thing I prefer to think about is my trash. There are probably at least twelve other things that should be on my mind before taking out the garbage, and only then do I think about it because it is overflowing enough to encourage my dog to ignore her years of obedience training.

However, lately I find myself wondering what I can do to put less in the trash and more in the recycle bin, for reasons other than just delaying the process of taking it out. I have been lugging the green bin out to the curb for several years, but I have also noticed that depending on where I’m living, what goes in that recycling bin varies from street to street. I decided to look into my recycling options, to make sure I am making the best of what I waste.

The best way to recycle is of course to help someone else recycle: reuse something they no longer need. Craigslist is my favorite place to get a great deal on just about everything. (Just remember to engage those bargaining skills – the bigger the item for sale, the more likely the seller just wants to throw it out for free but doesn’t have the energy to do it themselves. I know this because I have sold many pieces of furniture for this very reason.) This obviously will not work with everything…no one wants that tree stump in your backyard. (Though it would make great firewood.)

Below is your one-stop-shop for knowing what you can and can’t recycle, and how to do exactly that.

First – What the Numbers Mean

That mysterious single-digit inside those glamorous recycling arrows helps identify the type of plastic it is stamped on. It is also your key to determining how you should recycle it – and please do!

Type 1: PETE (Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)) – Soda & water containers, some waterproof packaging.

Type 2: HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) – Milk, detergent & oil bottles. Toys and plastic bags.

Type 3: V (Vinyl/Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)) – Food wrap, vegetable oil bottles, blister packages.

Type 4: LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene) – Many plastic bags.  Shrink wrap, garment bags.

Type 5: PP (Polypropylene) – Refrigerated containers, some bags, most bottle tops, some carpets, some food wrap.

Type 6: PS (Polystyrene) – Throwaway utensils, meat packing, protective packing.

Type 7: OTHER – Usually layered or mixed plastic. No recycling potential – must be landfilled.

Types of Materials That Can Be Recycled

Material	Details	How to recycle
Unbroken glass containers	Clear is the most valuable. Recycle lids with metal. Ceramics contaminate glass.	Sort by color. There is no need to remove labels or bands from cans and bottles. Clean only enough to prevent odors. Try to reuse as much as you can.
Clean, dry newspapers & newspaper inserts		Pack newspapers tightly in large brown grocery sacks or tie with natural twine. Keep dry.
Empty metal cans, caps, lids, bands & foil	Metals can be recycled again and again.
Plastic stamped with #1, #2 and perhaps a couple others*	Even a small amount of the wrong type of plastic can ruin a melt. Much recycled plastic ends up as low grade plastic lumber. Much plastic collected for recycling is actually landfilled.	Try and reuse as much as you can. *Check with your local recycling department for which numbers they accept. #7 will never be collected.
Grocery bags, clear plastic bags		Try to reuse what you can; take the rest to your local grocery store.
Bubble wrap, bubble wrap envelopes
Mixed paper: junk mail, magazines, photocopies, computer printouts on white or colored paper, cereal boxes, shoe boxes, phone books	Paper fiber can be recycled about 7 times before it gets too small. Plastic window envelopes are ok. Staples are ok.	Check the inside of the phone book for recycling location information – glue types vary.
Corrugated cardboard		Break down flat. Some curbside pickup, otherwise try your local grocery store / high volume businesses.
Scrap aluminum (lawn chairs, pots, window frames)
Aseptic Packaging (Drink boxes, soy milk containers)	Made from complex layers of plastic, metal and paper. Recycling is expensive and awkward, with few locations. All milk cartons have plastic laminate on the inside.	Call Coca-Cola at 1-800-888-6488 for locations.
Motor oil	Never dump into storm drains. Never mix with anything. Never place in a container that has contained other chemicals.	Pour used oil into a plastic milk jug and clearly mark it “used motor oil.” Call your garbage company, local quick-lube, tire shop or call 1-800-MOTOROIL.
Tires	Improperly disposed tires tend to rise to the top of landfills, breed mosquitoes, transit disease when traded globally, and burn when stacked in large piles.	You normally must pay a fee ($1-5) but it is worth it.
Automotive and sealed led/gel batteries	Though many aren’t actually recycled, all should be collected and not thrown in the trash. Your old car battery may be worth money, if not, trade it in.	Take to an automotive or security dealer for recycling or trade in
Rechargeable batteries	Nickel-Cadmium rechargeable batteries contain toxins – do not throw these into regular trash.	Call 1-800-8BATTERY for information. Throw alkaline and heavy duty batteries in trash unless prohibited. Or try http://www.rbrc.com.
Laser/ink printer cartridges	Don’t bother with refill kits. They may save money, but they are messy, and you use as much plastic as a new cartridge.	Some forward-thinking companies, such as Hewlett-Packard, have been known to sell new cartridges with a postage paid mailer for returning the old one, especially for laser printers
Household chemicals (paint, oil, solvent, pesticides, cleaners)	The heaviest application of agricultural chemicals in the USA comes not from agribusiness, but rather from home gardeners. Indoor air pollution from household products is often found to exceed allowable federal outdoor quality rules. Do not dump into storm drains.	Call your garbage company for advice. Almost all areas have household toxics drop-off days or locations.
Computers, Eyeglasses, Household goods		Donate to charity. Give to a repair shop. Sell/donate via Craigslist.

What Cannot Be Recycled

Material	Details
Ceramics, pyrex, tablware, windows, lightbulbs, mirrors	Clear is the most valuable. Recycle lids with metal. Ceramics contaminate glass.
Newspapers or plastic bags with rubber bands, plastic bags, product samples, water, dirt, mold or other contamination
Full cans, spray cans unless instructed, cans with paint or hazardous waste.
Some plastic materials	Plastic types #7 and perhaps others – check to find out what is collected in your area. Caps are usually a different type from the bottle – toss if unmarked.
Stickers, napkins, tissues, waxed paper, milk cartons, carbon paper, laminated paper (fast food wraps, some food bags, drink boxes, foil), neon paper, thermal fax paper. Any wet or food stained paper.
Scrap metal with parts attracted to magnets. Non-metal parts.	Aluminum is not attracted to magnets.
Containers with traces of hazardous materials.
Compact discs, video tapes, computer disks	Mixed materials and cannot be recycled unless disassembled.