In spite of the fact that plastic can take up to 500 years to decompose, Americans still throw away 25 million plastic bottles every hour, especially in areas without adequate plastic recycling companies or education. Waste disposal companies still find cans in the trash even through aluminum can be recycled an unlimited amount of times.
If each American recycled even one-tenth of their newspapers, 25 million trees could be saved every year. But most people don’t intend to harm the environment. They just may not know enough about waste management services and plastic recycling companies to recycle correctly. Here’s how you can get started recycling in any area:
1. Find recycling services in your area. You can call 1-800-CLEANUP to find the recycling center nearest to you. Visiting them can allow you to find out what materials they accept, what condition they accept them in, and what process will allow you to recycle them.
2. Set up your bins. Getting your recycling bins in order is the best way to make sure recycling is even easier for you than just throwing out recyclables would have been. A garage is a great place for separate recycling bins, but make sure to cover them if the door is opened frequently. The wind can easily mess up your recycling system. Label bins clearly so recyclables stay separate.
3. Put a “No Flyers” or “No Junk Mail” sign on your mailbox or front gate. This will cut down on the amount of paper you’ll have to deal with, especially since junk mail can realy build up over time.
4. Clean bottles and tins before placing them in your recycling bin. This will cut down on flies and pests that may be attracted to residue in your recyclables, and workers at the plastic recycling companies will be grateful for it too.
5. Many services pick up recycling, but if you need to bring recyclables anywhere, store them in plastic bags or reusable totes. They’re less likely than paper bags to tear or leak and smaller bags especially are easy to lift. You can also usually recycle plastic bags at the center, killing two birds with one stone.
Follow these easy steps and recycling should be a breeze! Helpful sites.
