How to Know What's Recyclable

Despite its environmental benefits, recycling can be confusing. From the numbers on plastics to the variety of metals, figuring out which of your waste products is recyclable can be hard to do. Check out the following tips for sorting your junk.

Instructions

1. Check with your waste removal company to learn about its recycling policies. Some companies don't recycle at all, while others offer a wide range of services. If yours is one of the former, consider saving your recyclables in a bag or box and transporting them to a stand-alone recycling bin every two weeks or so.

2. Check the resin identification codes on your plastic containers. If it's labeled with a 1 or a 2, chances are it's recyclable. The recycling of plastics with higher numbers varies widely among communities, so ask your local waste management companies about them.

3. Learn what kind of metal your recyclables are made of. Iron and steel are the most commonly recycled materials in the world. Recycled aluminum is also popular, since it uses far less energy than mining and refining the raw ore.

4. Know that most paper products can be recycled. The types of recyclable paper products are corrugated containers (both old and waxed), magazines, newspapers, telephone books and mixed residential paper. Office paper is the most versatile when recycled and can be used to make books, newspapers or more paper.

5. Make sure your glass containers are clear, green or brown/amber. These are the main types of glass that are recyclable. Other glass like Pyrex or borosilicates are not as easy to melt down and are generally not accepted at bottle banks and curbside pickup.