Page 13 -

LIFESTYLE

11 THINGS YOU REALLY

SHOULD STOP RECYCLING

Climate change is a hot topic contain gets processed with other paper
and it’s evident from melting pulp and contaminates the recycled
ice caps to burning continents paper products that are being produced.
It’s best to ask for no receipt when you’re
that the Earth is in need of shopping, or throw it away and wash
rescuing. It’s imperative we your hands.
recycle and make changes to
our eco-habits, but we need 6. Food Residue: Cleaning out food and
beverage containers before you recycle
to look at what we shouldn’t them is just as important as placing
be recycling, too. them in the right bin. Food residue and
liquids left in take away containers,
peanut butter jars and even wine bottles
1. Plastic Bags: You’d be surprised how can contaminate an entire truckload of
many people add soft plastic bags to recyclables. Containers don’t have to
their recycling bin, or even bag their be perfectly clean, but they should be
recyclables in plastic before adding rinsed and washed with soap if they’re
them to their cart. The problem with greasy.
soft plastic bags is that they can clog
machines and slow down operations 7. Broken Crockery: We’re all prone to
while workers remove the bags by hand. breaking things. Unfortunately, broken
Bring your own reusable tote with you plates, ceramics, porcelain, mirrors, light
when you’re out shopping to eliminate bulbs, cups, wine glasses and Pyrex have
the need for a plastic bag. You can also different melting points and chemical
recycle soft plastic at many grocery compositions compared to recyclable
stores. glass and belong in the trash.
2. Pizza Boxes: If it’s got food stains 8. Nappies: Yuck, and no! Hopefully,
or grease on it, it doesn’t belong in it’s no surprise that dirty diapers and
recycling. Lucky for us pizza lovers, sanitary products have no place in the
cardboard boxes can be composted as recycling bin. Whether they are clean
can other food-soiled paper, so long as or dirty, they go in the trash. There are
they’re not lined with plastic. A good
some compostable nappies, but most
example is take-out boxes—check the municipalities do not accept them in
bottom of the box to see if it is labelled municipal compost bins.
as compostable.
9. Shredded Paper: This one surprised
3. Gift Wrap: Shiny, metallic wrapping me. Shredded documents and small
paper and decorative ribbons do not
belong in recycling. Glittery cards are bits of paper are too small to be 11. Paperboard Boxes: Freezer food
also non-recyclable and can contaminate valuable to recyclers and fall through boxes and ice cream cartons contain
an entire bin of paper. When wrapping the cracks or can even clog equipment. a plastic polymer to prevent freezer
The good news is shredded paper can
a gift, opt for an unlaminated paper be composted! If composting isn’t an burn. Unfortunately, this plastic coating
like newspaper, paper bags or butcher prevents the box or carton from
paper. option, you can collect shreds in a paper breaking down in the recycling process.
bag, staple it closed and place it into
4. Small metal bits: While bits of metal like recycling. Gable-topped milk and juice cartons are
also made from a paper/plastic hybrid
cold drink can tabs and aluminium sweet 10. to prevent leaks and shelf stable cartons
wrappers are technically recyclable, Coffee Cups: Most takeaway coffee (sold in a rectangular box) contain
their small size makes them hard to cups are lined with a plastic film that
makes them liquid proof, and difficult additional plastic and aluminium layers,
detect and they often jam recycling to recycle. The plastic lid might be making them even more difficult to
machinery. To avoid this issue, keep soda recyclable, but it will depend on what recycle. While some municipalities
tabs attached to the can or drop them accept cartons for recycling, many do
inside the can when you’re done. type of plastic is accepted by your local
municipality. The paper heat sleeve that not, so it is best to check.
5. Receipts: While the thermal cash register goes around the cup to protect your
receipts you receive from a grocery store hand is really the only part of a takeaway Hopefully, this list of recycling offenders has
or boutique are made from paper, they coffee cup that is likely recyclable or provided some clarity about what does and
also contain Bisphenol A, aka BPA, the compostable. Better yet, say no to does not belong in your recycling bin.
nasty cancer causing chemical. When disposable cups and bring your own
you recycle receipts, the BPA that they reusable coffee cup with you when
you’re on the go.

BLUE VALLEY NEWS • Issue 1 2020 • 11