Learning About Metal Recycling
These Household Items Can Be Recycled – Just Not In Your Curbside Bin
Barry Mills
When it comes to reducing the amount of waste that you produce in your home, an effective way to limit the amount of garbage you drag to the curb is to divert some of it into your recycling bin. You likely already know that many paper, plastic and tin household items are recyclable – and ideally, you make steps to include these in your recycling bin every week. What you might not know, however, is that it's possible to recycle a variety of goods that don't qualify for your local recycling program and thus might normally end up in your garbage can. Here are some ideas to keep in mind.
Empty Printer Toner Cartridges
Regardless of the size or style of the ink toner cartridges that you use in the printer in your home office, you can recycle them – even if they don't meet the criteria set out by your local recycling company. Take any empty cartridges to your local store that sells electronics or office supplies. In many cases, they'll have a bin near the front of the store that accepts such items, which will then be taken to the appropriate recycling facility.
Cellphones
When you upgrade your cellphone, you might have the option of trading in your older model for a credit toward your new one. If you don't take this step – but later decide that you want to get rid of the phone that's sitting around and gathering dust – there are different avenues you can explore to recycle it. Some shopping malls and electronics stores have kiosks that can accept your device for recycling purposes – and some will even reimburse you financially.
Running Shoes
When your running shoes finally get worn out, your natural inclination might be to simply toss them in the garbage can – after all, they don't meet the criteria set out by your local recycling program. The good news is that you can ensure that your shoes don't find their way to the dump by calling some footwear or athletic apparel stores in your city. Many such businesses collect worn-out running shoes and recycle them in unique ways. One such method is repurposing the rubber in the shoes' treads into running tracks.
Grocery Bags
It's often handy to keep old grocery bags around the house for various uses, but if you find that your supply is quickly growing, you'll want to get rid of them. Even though they're plastic, they aren't always acceptable in your curbside recycling. However, you can often take them to large grocery stores and general merchandise stores and look for the appropriate recycling receptacle near the front of the store.
For more information on what you can recycle, contact a local recycling facility, like Uptown Bottle Depot.
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Hello everyone, my name is Suzi Lanson. Welcome to my site. I want to talk about the different tools and techniques used for metal recycling. The backyard in my first home was a graveyard of broken appliances, tools and tin cans of all sizes. I looked at the collection sitting there in horror at first. A friend pointed out that the piles of garbage were actually a recycling goldmine. We transported the materials to a metal recycling facility and split the cash. I was pleasantly surprised to hear nearly all of the items could be broken down and processed to create new products. I will talk about the metal recycling process in more detail on this site.