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5 Items That You May Think Are Recyclable, But Are Not

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Recycling is an easy way to turn discarded waste into a recyclable product – like, say, a sustainably made cup, bag, or paper product. Yet, though many things can be included in your recycling bin, there are several items that are commonly thought to be recyclable but are not. Check out these 5 examples below.

Some Takeout Containers

Have a lot of leftover Chinese cartons? You can recycle containers stamped with the recyclable sign, but hold off on recycling them if they are stained with grease or still have leftover food particles. If you add them to your recycling bin, they can damage or contaminate other recyclable things.

Plastic Grocery Bags

You might be surprised to learn that plastic grocery bags are not recyclable, but they are not in most programs. If you have a ton of plastic bags to get rid of, look into special recycling programs for these bags. You can sometimes locate a plastic bag bin at some supermarkets.

Wire Hangers

Have a lot of wire hangers? Though sturdy, wire hangers have been outshined by newer, plastic versions, which are gentler on clothes. When you’re ready to toss them, try handing them over to a local dry cleaner. But, whatever you do, don’t recycle them. Many recycling centers can’t process wire.

Styrofoam

Styrofoam seems like the kind of material that recycling centers would take, but that is not the case. In fact, Styrofoam does not biodegrade at all. Try limiting your use of Styrofoam containers and coffee cups and packing peanuts, instead.

Some Drink Cartons

Like food boxes, you’ll need to double-check for that classic recycling symbol before you toss these. In many cases, the plastic coating on most juice boxes and the like render them unsuitable for recycling. Toss these in your usual trash bin, or find a way to reuse them around the house.

As the saying goes, knowledge is power – and, at Mission 106 Apartments in Leawood, Kansas, we couldn’t agree more! We hope that this blog has presented you with the valuable information that you were seeking out.

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