How to Recycle

Recycling garbage made of paper, plastic or aluminum helps reduce waste, as well as aiding the environment and limiting the growth of our landfills. Renewable materials can be transformed back into useful products, which cuts down our consumption of resources. If you are interested in learning how to recycle, start with a little research into your local area.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Colored trash bins

1. Find out if your city has a recycling program. Many cities recycle certain types of trash as part of their regular sanitation service. Give them a call and find out what kinds of items they recycle and any instructions you'll need to follow when disposing of your trash.
2. Pick up bins specified by the city. Communities that recycle often require you to put the garbage in specific trash cans so as not to mix them with non-recyclable garbage. (They prefer those trash cans to any you will provide because it allows the sanitation trucks to lift and empty them with their equipment.)
3. Leave the bins in a specified collection area on trash day. Sanitation trucks won't pick up garbage that is left in the wrong place, and some cities require you to take the material to a centralized location before they will pick it up and recycle it.
4. Find out where your local recycling center is if your city doesn't have its own recycling program. Such centers are run as a business rather than branch of the local government, and they will happily accept anything you wish to recycle.
5. Learn what measures your local center needs you to take before they will accept material to recycle. Their requirements may differ from the city's in multiple ways.
6. Buy colored trash bins to separate your garbage into the appropriate type. If you're not using trash cans specified by the city, you'll want to identify which can has paper, which can has plastic, which can has aluminum and so on.
7. Rinse out your recycled items before putting them in the trash, and remove any labels or other materials that may cause difficulties. Food and other materials cause problems during the recycling process. Similarly, remove the caps and tops off of milk containers and other devices. They may be made from a different type of plastic which is not recyclable or requires you to separate it into its own bin.

Tips & Warnings

• Some recycling centers offer cash for plastics, paper and aluminum. If you want to make the trip, it could earn you some money, even in towns with their own recycling programs.