If you have recently signed up for a recycling service for the first time, you may be trying to get used to setting aside and packaging up recyclable products in your home. While you are doing this, make sure you avoid the following mistakes that may result in the refuse becoming contaminated and possibly rejected by the recycling plant.
1. Neglecting to Rinse Out Bottles and Cans
When you start setting aside your plastic bottles and cans, you may decide to just start throwing them in a bag or directly into the recycling receptacle. You may believe that once they reach the plant, the items will be cleaned before they are processed.
However, there are a couple of reasons why you need to avoid making this mistake. First, leaving the bottles and cans unrinsed in your home and even in your yard will attract vermin, bees, and other insects. The accumulated grime left on the containers will also give off a pungent odor after being allowed to sit for days.
Second, any liquids or foods still on the bottles or cans can contaminate the plastic or aluminum materials. Because of this, the recycling plant may reject the items, and they may go unrecycled. To keep this from happening, make sure you rinse out any bottles or cans before placing them in the bin.
2. Allowing Paper Products to Get Wet
Another mistake you should avoid when dividing up and saving items for the recycling service is allowing paper products to get wet. Because newspapers, cardboard items, and other paper products can take up quite a lot of room in your home, you may be tempted to simply set them outside where the rain, snow, or even the morning dew can saturate them.
However, water will break down paper products very easily. The fibers from which they are made will collapse, leaving the paper a soggy, messy heap. Once they have been contaminated with water, the paper products become useless and cannot be recycled.
To keep your paper from getting wet, dedicate an open space for them in your home, or put them in a box during the day and then take them directly to the curbside bin to save space in your house.
Avoiding the above mistakes and learning the proper way to handle recyclable products can help make the process of starting to recycle at home much easier. For more information, contact a curbside recycling service such as Industrial Services Inc for advice on how to recycle, as well as to find out any special requirements they may have in place.
Share