In the bin
Saturday, Nov. 15 is America Recycles Day. The national recycling rate has increased from less than 7% in 1960 to the current rate of 32%.
America Recycles Day is an educational event by Keep America Beautiful. It is the only nationally recognized day that’s all about recycling. It’s a time to learn, get inspired, and take action. We can all pitch in to recycle more and waste less.
From plastic bottles and aluminum cans to paper and electronics – recycling helps keep tons of materials out of landfills, saves natural resources and reduces pollution.
The following recommendations are from calrecyle.ca.gov, check with your waste management company for specifics to your area. You can check your local recycling rules at: iRecycleSmart.com
You can find a map for local recycling centers in the state of California here.
A few tips from CalRecycle’s Public Information Officer, Emily Breslin:
America Recycles Day is an important reminder for Californians to do their part and take small steps toward more waste-free habits that can lead to monumental change. Our expert can share practical and actionable tips, such as:
Put Food Scraps in the Green Bin: the simple act of putting scraps into your green bin for weekly curbside pickup can cut air pollution from landfills.
Get Cash Back for Recycling with CRV: the expanded CRV program—which now includes wine, spirits, and juice containers along with traditional beverage containers—means cash back and a healthier planet. All you have to do is take these eligible containers to a recycling center.
Plan before you buy: As we approach the holiday season, it’s important to plan out weekly meals and buy only what’s needed to cut down on food waste.
Confidence in recycling is in decline
A 2022 Recycling Confidence survey showed a lack of public trust in recycling. Fewer than half of those surveyed for the Index said they believe the items they place in their recycling bin are made into new products and very few people (17%) feel well-informed about what happens to their recycling.
Put these materials in your recycling bin
Paper
All clean and dry paper
Cardboard (uncoated only)
Cereal boxes (remove plastic liner)
Egg cartons
Envelopes (windows OK)
Junk mail and magazines
Packing or kraft paper
Paper bags
Phonebooks
Sticky notes
Shredded paper: place in sealed paper bag and label “Shredded Paper”
Wrapping paper (non-metallic)
Plastic bags in the recycling bin varies by waste management company, but the state says no.
Hard plastics (no plastic bags, wrappers, or Styrofoam)
Bottles: leave caps on
Buckets (metal handle OK)
Coffee cup lids
Containers and clamshells
Cups and plates (plastic only, no Styrofoam)
Flower pots and trays
Toys (no electronics, metal, or batteries)
Tubs and lids
Glass
Glass bottles and jars only (metal caps and lids too)
Metal
Aluminum cans
Aluminum foil/trays: ball foil up to softball size
Metal caps and lids
Paint cans (must be empty or dry)
Spray cans (must be empty)
Steel (tin) cans
Not for the recycling bin
Put these in your composting bin instead
Dirty paper (plates, napkins, tissues, take-out boxes)
Food
Paper coffee cups
Plastic labeled “Compostable”
Coated or greasy paper or cardboard
Wood: no plywood/pressboard or treated, stained, painted wood.
Put these items in your landflll bin
Broken ceramic dishware and glassware
Diapers and feminine products
Composite items made of multiple materials
Glass (other than bottles and jars)
Juice, soup or soy milk type boxes with foil liner
Light bulbs: Incandescent only are OK for trash
Plastic items mixed with metal, fabric or rubber
Rubber or latex gloves
Styrofoam meat trays or other dirty Styrofoam
These don’t belong in your recycle or compost bins, but should still be recycled.
Batteries: small residential quantities can be recycled
Cooking oil
Construction and demolition debris
Electronics
Hangers: take to your local garment cleaner for reuse
Light bulbs containing mercury (fluorescent/HID)
Metals other than cans or lids (pots/pans/scrap metal)
Plastic bags and film: recycle clean plastic bags at participating California supermarkets
Styrofoam: take packing peanuts to local shipping store for reuse.
Wood (pallets and other)
Note: Food in landfills rots and releases methane, which heats the climate 84 times more than carbon dioxide.An estimated 7,294 tons of batteries are improperly disposed of in California landfills annually.
Who designed the recycling logo?
We see it every day and take it for granted but the recycling logo has California roots. In 1970, for the first Earth Day, a contest was held for environmental design. More than 500 students submitted their entries, which were judged by a panel of judges at the International Design Conference in Aspen, Colorado. The first place winner was 23-year old Gary Dean Anderson, a student at the University of Southern California.
Sources: United States Environmental Protection Agency, Landfill Methane Outreach Program, The Recycling Project, Keep America Beautiful, calrecycle.ca.gov