6 Things You Can Always Recycle - Even On The Road
Recycling can be really confusing: what can be recycled and how should it be recycled? These common questions cause two unwanted things to happen: people improperly recycle and people stop recycling. Both are equally bad. When people incorrectly recycle it contaminates the entire batch of recyclables, causing everything to be tossed into the landfill.
I've compiled a list to help clarify the correct items to recycle and right ways to do it. You can skip down to that list here.
The current recycling rate in the U.S. is 34%. This has barely changed in the past 17 years1. In 2013, Americans generated about 245 million tons of trash and only recycled and composted about 87 million tons of it. All the while there are more garbage ending up in our oceans and our landfills are filling up quickly. But recycling is a great solution to those problems, along with several other environmental issues. Recycle Across America provides the following facts that really support why we should recycle:
The recycling center in Yukon, Canada had an extensive recycling program and accepts styrofoam!
Recycling is the top action society can do to simultaneously improve: the environment, the economy, sustainable manufacturing, and to prevent waste from going to oceans.
When U.S. recycling levels reach 75% it will be the environmental and CO2 equivalent of removing 55 million cars from U.S. roads each year.
When U.S. recycling levels reach 75% it will generate 1.5 million new jobs in the U.S. (net)
Manufacturers truly want these material back to reuse in their manufacturing, but they aren’t able to reuse the materials if people don’t recycle right
But it all comes back to that recycling is a pain, so much of a pain that writing this post was extremely hard. My initial plan was to write a comprehensive post about what can be recycled and how it should be recycled. I realized that this goal was almost impossible after looking through tons of recycling websites. Why? Because each town, city, and county has different recycling rules. This makes it especially hard for travelers or full-timers like ourselves when we are constantly in different places. Some recycling centers are good and put up signs listing what is accepted. Sometimes it’s just a large bin with only a recycle symbol on it. The same goes for city websites – some do a wonderful job providing extensive information about recycling locations and what can be recycled, while others don’t include any information.
It was great that there was a recycle bin at a pull-out in Alberta, Canada, except there wasn't a sign indicating what items they accept.
So as a full-timer, how can you do good by recycling, when you’re not sure what the heck can be recycled?
The #1 rule is if you’re not sure if it can be recycled, then throw it in the trash. As much as it hurts me to say this, the reality is that if you recycle incorrectly you can do more harm than good.
The #2 rule is to make sure all your recyclables are clean and free of food. Plastic, glass, steel containers don't have to be absolutely spotless, but get the majority of the food out of it. Small specks of food still left in the containers is OK, but anything more isn't OK. Also, Paper goods need to be free of food and oil stains.
In an effort to make recycling a bit easier for those who live on the road, I’ve put together lists of items that can always be recycled, can’t ever be recycled, and are hard to recycle depending on your location.
ITEMS THAT CAN ALWAYS BE RECYCLED
I haven’t checked with every single recycling company in the country, but from my travels and the research I’ve done online, the following items are almost always accepted. Make it a priority and a point to recycle the items below. There isn't any excuse for them to ever be tossed in the trash.
ALUMINUM CANS
Aluminum cans are the most widely accepted recyclable material. There's no reason to throw them in the trash. The best thing about aluminum is that it can be recycled and reused infinitely2.
How: Don't break off the tabs on aluminum cans because on its own the tab is too small to be sorted by machines at the recycling centers. And don’t crush your cans because it makes them harder to process.
STEEL/TIN/METAL CANS
Think soup cans and veggie cans. The way you tell the difference between aluminum and steel/tin cans is that steel/tin cans are magnetic. Similar to aluminum cans, steel/tin/metal cans can be recycled indefinitely3.
How: Play it safe and either leave the lid attached to the tin can or place the lid inside the can (squeeze the can shut a bit to prevent the lid from falling out). Loose metal can lids are too small to be properly sorted at recycling centers.
PLASTIC BOTTLES
Plastic drink bottles like bottled water and sodas can all be recycled. Plastic products can only be recycled once into the same product. After that a lot of recycled plastic fiber ends up in places like clothing, carpet, furniture, flooring and playgrounds4.
How: Whether or not caps are recyclable varies from area to area and is best to visit their recycling website for specific instructions. If you’re not sure if the cap can be recycled at your location, just recycle the plastic bottle and trash the cap.
PAPER
Paper can be recycled 5 to 7 times before the fibers become too short to be turned into paper again5. Office paper, newspaper, envelopes and mail can be recycled. Magazine and glossy papers are accepted by most recycling centers, but not all. So double check with the local recycling center.
How: All paper material must be clean, dry, and free of food and oil stains. Paper envelopes with plastic windows can be recycled with other paper items and the windows don’t need to be removed.
CEREAL BOXES, PAPER TOWEL & TOILET PAPER ROLLS (AKA PAPERBOARD)
Recycling sign in Whitehorse, Yukon.
The majority of the time and most recycling places places accept cereal, granola, pasta, and other similar boxes. So often people throw away paper towel and toilet paper rolls. But if recycling centers accept cereal boxes then paper rolls are also accepted.
How: Often times recycling centers like to separate corrugated boxes (cardboard boxes) and paperboards. Try not to mix them together at recycling centers unless they specifically ok it.
Hard To Recycle
GLASS
Glass items like beer bottles and pickle jars are hard to recycle because not all places recycle glass. Some towns may recycle it, but only if you bring it directly to a glass recycle center - they can’t be mixed in with curbside pickup. Glass has a very low market value so not a lot of places put the time and energy into accepting it to be recycled. Some recycling centers that do accept it frown upon broken glass (most reference little pieces of glass) because it’s hard on the equipment in sorting facilities and ends up getting mixed in with other material (like paper). So if possible, keep your glass containers whole when you are able to recycle them.
Tip: This is very good reason to buy canned beers versus bottle beers.
PLASTIC BAGS
How2Recycle label
Plastic bags can’t be mixed in with other recyclables. They get stuck in recycling machines and cause factories to be closed down for days. But plastic bags are recyclable at the right locations. Most grocery stores, Lowes, Walmarts, and Targets have bins for plastic bags. You can also find the nearest drop off location at Plastic Film Recycling. Please know that despite plastic bags being recyclable, they’re very costly and the ability to maintain the quality and cleanliness is very hard. The best is to not use any and all kinds of plastic bags. Read this article to find out how bad plastic bags are on our environment.
Tip: The following clean and dry plastic bags can be recycled wherever plastic bags are accepted:
Retail, newspaper, dry cleaning, bread, produce, and other bags labeled #2 and #4
Ziploc food storage bags
Furniture and electronic wrap
Plastic cereal box liner (only if it doesn’t tear like paper)
Plastic shipping envelopes (Tyvek , bubble wrap and air pillows – deflate and remove labels)
Product wrap (like used on paper towels, toilet paper, diapers, and water bottles)
Any film packaging or bag that has the How2Recycle Label
CLAMSHELL PLASTIC CONTAINERS
Think take out food containers or the containers you put salad into at a grocery store. A lot of recycling centers don’t accept clamshell containers because they turn flat when crushed and the machines can’t correctly sort them (they end up with paper).
Tip: Bring and use your own Tupperware containers whenever possible.
SHREDDED PAPER
Most recycling centers require shredded paper to be bagged (in either plastic or paper bag, find out from the local facility).
ASEPTIC PACKAGING
Packages for shelf stable products like soy milk, juice boxes, soups and stock are not always accepted by recycling centers – even if they do accept milk and juice cartons. Apparently they are made of different material (which is something I just learned).
ALUMINUM FOIL
A lot of recycling centers don’t seem to accept aluminum foil, even if it’s been cleaned of food. Double check with your local recycling center.
Can’t Be Recycled
PIZZA BOXES
Pizza boxes are not recyclable unless free of food, grease and the liner paper. That’s the same for any to-go paper food boxes.
STRAWS
Straws are not recyclable. This is a big reason to say no to straws when you go out to eat.
PLASTIC UTENSILS
I have yet to find a place that accepts plastic utensils to be recycled. We leave a set of reusable utensils in our truck so it’s always available to use instead of plastic.
ALUMINUM FOIL
A lot of recycling centers don’t seem to accept aluminum foil, even if it’s been cleaned of food. Double check with your local recycling center.
USED PAPER TOWELS & TISSUES
Sure they’re made of paper, but recycling centers don’t accept them. They can be tossed in composting bins.
PLASTIC 6-PACK BEVERAGE RINGS
Since 1989 it is U.S. Federal regulation that all 6-pack rings are made to be 100% photodegradable6. This means that the 6-pack rings will break down in sunlight. Look for the diamond shape symbol on the rings that indicates it's photodegradable. According to Ringleader.com these rings will break down in 3-4 weeks time under summer sun. But process will take 3 - 4 months during cloudy weather. Also, supposedly the small broken down pieces are not toxic and act like mulch for plants. This by no means gives the OK to just toss it out in the woods or on the ground! I have more thoughts about beverage rings that I will save for another post.
Tip: It's great that the rings break down in sunlight, but I still highly recommend cutting the rings so they don’t end up entangling and harming wildlife. Do you really want wildlife to wait 3 weeks to 4 months for the rings to break down?
STYROFOAM
Sure, there are some places that will recycle styrofoam. But those places are so few that styrofoam is essentially not recyclable. Meaning - try your best not to use anything made of styrofoam. But if you do come across a place that can recycle styrofoam, by all means please do!
Tip: We bring collapsible Tupperware containers with us whenever we go out to eat. This way we don't have to use take-out or even compostable containers.
COMPOSTABLE PRODUCTS
Do not include compostable products (ex: plant-based plates, utensils and cups) in with your regular recycling because it will contaminate the recycling process. Compostable products can only be processed by a composting facility – whether it’s in your backyard or an industrial facility.
Now the questions is how do you find out what exactly can be recycled at a specific location? A lot of times as you look for a place to recycle, you'll come across the phone number for those recycling centers. Give them a call and ask!
I came across the website Earth911 and got really excited. They offer a "Recycle Search" that includes recycling centers and companies based on a zip code. Phone numbers and websites are often time included in the search results, so it makes it easy to contact the companies for recycling details. Earth911's recycle search results also includes what items are accepted in that zip code, BUT I've found several mistakes and don't recommend you to rely on their information!
I hope this post helps you out the next time you're trying to figure out what can and can't be recycled.
