Do you ever get that rush of pride by filling your recycling bin? You’re not alone. In fact, statistics show that many of us get excited by the idea of helping out the environment and doing our part. It’s an instant sense of achievement.
We get it! However, not to burst any bubbles, there are still millions of us who are recycling wrong. If there’s one thing we’re hoping for in the near future, it’s uniformed recycling capabilities across the nation. So that recycling is the same for everyone, no matter what council you live in or what company collects your bins. But for now, here’s how you can empower yourself by recycling right.
Getting the basics in the bin
We call them the basics, but the reality is that these are the materials nearly every single council will collect as part of recycling. We’re talking about your metal tins and cans, as well as paper and cardboard. It might seem like a short list, but trust us, the waste these materials create is extensive. Think about all the junk mail that comes through your door, recycle it. All the tins and cans used to store food and drink, recycle it. Getting these basics right is crucial.
It takes 95% less energy to recycle an aluminium can than it does to create a new one. Paper and card account for 1/5 of all waste in the UK. Imagine how much good we could do for the planet by getting these basics in the bin! So that’s your first step, the second is nailing the problematic materials such as glass and plastic.
Problems in the recycling bin: Plastic and glass
Did you know that glass is the most common item for being recycled wrong? Not plastic, even though it has multiple variations and recycling capabilities – glass! Why? Because too many of us are trying to recycle it when it is broken. A big no no!
Glass cannot be recycled in all areas, that’s the first thing. But if your council are good enough to recycle glass, you won’t be able to recycle it when it’s broken. It’s a huge contaminant and is certainly something to get right if you want to be more confident when putting out the recycling bin.
As for plastic, well, that’s an extremely complicated product. Plastic pots, containers and tubs are widely recycled. Plastics films, wraps and softer plastics (including toothpaste tubes!) are very rarely recycled at the kerbside. In most cases, you’ll need to take them to a local supermarket for recycling but in sometimes they will sadly end up in the rubbish bin! But don’t even get us started on polystyrene – it can’t be recycled! Ever! So the next time you’ve ordered something fragile and it’s turned up in polystyrene, just keep it out your recycling bin and pop it with the rubbish. It is what it is, we can’t avoid waste all the time.
So what’s left over? Oh, food!
The final thing you will recycle is your food waste. It may go in a separate recycling bin, but it is recycled nonetheless. We know it’s not quite the same but it’s a large problem when it comes to recycling. The impact of food waste on the climate is enormous and if you want to feel confident that you’re doing the right thing for the planet, you certainly want to be recycling your food waste.
We’ve covered paper and cardboard, metal, plastic, glass and food – there aren’t many other materials you may come across for recycling, but if you think we haven’t covered what you want to know for recycling confidently, let us know!
