This article will seek to educate or reiterate the proper ways of disposing recyclable items used at home by most consumers.
Major cities have various guidelines on how they want items to be disposed so as to make it easier for them to recycle and safely remove from the environment.
The guidelines issued out do not only involve recyclable items but also include household/industrial hazardous waste, electronics, propane & helium tanks etc.
Below is a list of recyclable items and the disposal guidelines (City of Toronto, Canada 2011): 1.
Household containers: Plastic bottles, plastic laundry detergent tubs & lids, aerosol cans, paint cans, plastic kitty litter tubs with plastic handles.
Items in this category should be rinsed and the lids & sprayers screwed tight for plastic bottles and disposed in the garbage if it is an aerosol can.
2.
Paper: Gift wraps, newspapers, envelopes, board boxes, shredded paper, corrugated cardboard, bags, rolls, junk mail, writing/computer paper, window envelopes.
Shredded paper should put in a clear plastic bag and tied closed.
Gift wraps should have ribbons, bows, foil wrap removed.
Plastic covers, liners, over-wrap should be removed and put in garbage.
Board boxes and corrugated cardboard should be flattened; these items should be cleaned and unwaxed if necessary making sure they are not contaminated with food or chemicals.
3.
Foam polystyrene and plastic retail shopping bags- plastic retail shopping bags without drawstrings, metal detailing or hard plastic handles, food packaging& protective packaging.
Rinse and remove receipts from plastic bags putting them in one plastic bag and tie handles together.
Foam polystyrene such as drinking cups, egg cartons, meat trays, takeout food containers, electronics packaging can be disposed together.
4.
Food containers- plastic bottles, jugs, milk juice cartons & boxes, glass bottles and jars, aluminum cans, plastic food jars, tubs and lids, cardboard cans, aluminum trays, burner liners, pie plates and roasting pans.
Lids & sprayers of plastic bottles should be screwed tightly, remove plastic drawstrings and put in garbage.
Items that should not be placed in the recycling box include: clear plastic food containers & drinking cups, propane & helium tanks, medical waste, toys, clothes, shoes, carpets, curtains, small appliances, cassettes, CDs, DVDs, batteries, car batteries, plastic pails, plastic paint pails, binders.
All these items should be dropped off at designated drop-off locations which can be found in major cities.
The list and guidelines I have highlighted are those given by the city of Toronto, Canada and are inexhaustible.
Guidelines would likely vary in most places depending on the facilities available but the methods of disposal would be similar.
The city of Toronto for instance does not recycle some plastic and metal items which it instructs to be put in the garbage.
These include clear plastic(clam shell) containers, black and clear plastic takeout and frozen food entrée containers, juice drink pouches, clear plastic drinking glasses, metal lids from glass bottles, dishes and drinking glass bottles, pots and pans, plastic over- wrap from pop cases, water bottles, wood, toilet papers and paper towels.
The city does not use the number triangle system which identifies different types of plastics and is used in some places.
Therefore, it is important that anyone wishing to recycle consult with their city officials for individual guidelines on disposal of wastes and recyclables before throwing it out.
This ensures that recycling is done properly and hazardous wastes are disposed of safely to help protect the environment and create a sustainable future for everyone.
Major cities have various guidelines on how they want items to be disposed so as to make it easier for them to recycle and safely remove from the environment.
The guidelines issued out do not only involve recyclable items but also include household/industrial hazardous waste, electronics, propane & helium tanks etc.
Below is a list of recyclable items and the disposal guidelines (City of Toronto, Canada 2011): 1.
Household containers: Plastic bottles, plastic laundry detergent tubs & lids, aerosol cans, paint cans, plastic kitty litter tubs with plastic handles.
Items in this category should be rinsed and the lids & sprayers screwed tight for plastic bottles and disposed in the garbage if it is an aerosol can.
2.
Paper: Gift wraps, newspapers, envelopes, board boxes, shredded paper, corrugated cardboard, bags, rolls, junk mail, writing/computer paper, window envelopes.
Shredded paper should put in a clear plastic bag and tied closed.
Gift wraps should have ribbons, bows, foil wrap removed.
Plastic covers, liners, over-wrap should be removed and put in garbage.
Board boxes and corrugated cardboard should be flattened; these items should be cleaned and unwaxed if necessary making sure they are not contaminated with food or chemicals.
3.
Foam polystyrene and plastic retail shopping bags- plastic retail shopping bags without drawstrings, metal detailing or hard plastic handles, food packaging& protective packaging.
Rinse and remove receipts from plastic bags putting them in one plastic bag and tie handles together.
Foam polystyrene such as drinking cups, egg cartons, meat trays, takeout food containers, electronics packaging can be disposed together.
4.
Food containers- plastic bottles, jugs, milk juice cartons & boxes, glass bottles and jars, aluminum cans, plastic food jars, tubs and lids, cardboard cans, aluminum trays, burner liners, pie plates and roasting pans.
Lids & sprayers of plastic bottles should be screwed tightly, remove plastic drawstrings and put in garbage.
Items that should not be placed in the recycling box include: clear plastic food containers & drinking cups, propane & helium tanks, medical waste, toys, clothes, shoes, carpets, curtains, small appliances, cassettes, CDs, DVDs, batteries, car batteries, plastic pails, plastic paint pails, binders.
All these items should be dropped off at designated drop-off locations which can be found in major cities.
The list and guidelines I have highlighted are those given by the city of Toronto, Canada and are inexhaustible.
Guidelines would likely vary in most places depending on the facilities available but the methods of disposal would be similar.
The city of Toronto for instance does not recycle some plastic and metal items which it instructs to be put in the garbage.
These include clear plastic(clam shell) containers, black and clear plastic takeout and frozen food entrée containers, juice drink pouches, clear plastic drinking glasses, metal lids from glass bottles, dishes and drinking glass bottles, pots and pans, plastic over- wrap from pop cases, water bottles, wood, toilet papers and paper towels.
The city does not use the number triangle system which identifies different types of plastics and is used in some places.
Therefore, it is important that anyone wishing to recycle consult with their city officials for individual guidelines on disposal of wastes and recyclables before throwing it out.
This ensures that recycling is done properly and hazardous wastes are disposed of safely to help protect the environment and create a sustainable future for everyone.
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