Everyday Items You Can Recycle for a Better Planet

Recycling is one of the best ways you can help keep the planet clean. By recycling items that you would normally throw away, you help reduce pollution and conserve resources.

Here are a few everyday items you can recycle for a better planet.

Glass Bottles and Jars

You can recycle glass bottles and jars at most recycling centres. Glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled over and over again. Recycling glass takes less energy than making new glass from scratch.

Glass bottles and jars are accepted at most recycling centres, but before recycling them, make sure to check with your local recycling centre to see what glass items they accept.

Some centres may not accept glass bottles and jars if they are broken or have residue. So rinse out the bottles and jars to remove any food or liquid residue before recycling them. Also, make sure to remove the lids and recycle them separately. This makes it easier for the recycling centre to ensure an efficient recycling process.

Plastics

Plastic is made from petroleum, a non-renewable resource, so recycling helps conserve this valuable resource. You need to be careful not to throw away any plastic waste because it can take hundreds of years to decompose. Common examples of plastic waste include:

• Plastic bottles
• Plastic bags
• Styrofoam cups
• Food packaging

You probably use some of these items on a daily basis. So the waste can quickly add up. You can have a separate recycling bin for your plastics at home to make the collection process easier.

To recycle plastics, you first have to check the recycling symbol on the bottom of the plastic item. This will tell you what type of plastic it is. Most recycling centres will accept all types of plastics with recycling symbols. They can be recycled into new products, including packaging, toys and more.

Paper

Paper is another common item that can be recycled. You probably use paper every day for school, work, or personal use. Recycling paper conserves trees and reduces pollution. Fewer trees would need to be cut down when paper is recycled.

Paper recycling is a bit more complicated than recycling other materials. That's because there are different types of paper, and each type has to be recycled differently. For example, you can't recycle glossy paper the same way you would recycle newspapers.

Other common types of paper that can be recycled include:

• Magazines
• Junk mail
• Office paper

Paper can be recycled into new paper products or used to create energy. But make sure to check with your local recycling centre to see what types of paper they accept.

These are just a few of the everyday items that you can recycle to help make the planet a little bit cleaner. By recycling, you're doing your part to preserve the planet for future generations. 

For more information, contact a local recycling centre.