You need to take the cap off a plastic bottle before recycling.
Sticky notes need to be thrown away in the trash.
Pizza boxes are not recyclable.
Almost daily, we’re inundated with recycling tidbits, and it can be hard to keep the facts from the not-so-facts. And, what can and cannot be recycled has changed over the years. With all this recycling whiplash, it’s time to separate the myths from the truth.
Let’s bust the lid off these recycling myths.
Plastic Bottle Recycling
Still taking the lid off your plastic bottle before recycling it? Save yourself the excruciating exertion of the twist-and-toss, and keep that lid on the bottle before recycling. Don’t worry, those lids are not going to explode off the bottle during the recycling process – plastic balers are equipped with piercing strikes to handle any pent up energy the plastic bottles may harbor. And yes, while the lids are typically made of a different plastic than the bottles, recycling companies are again at the ready. Some of them can sort by density, easily separating the floating caps from sinking bottles. Others will send the caps and bottles off together to be used in products where plastic purity is less of an issue, such as fiber fill or carpet.
Most importantly, do not toss that lid into a recycling bin as a free ranging nomad. Not only will it turn up lost with an art history degree and a fringe haircut… recycling companies are going to find it in the darndest of places. Its small size means it can fall through the screening process and end up mixed with glass, contaminating the glass recycling stream. Or get stuck in a conveyor belt, halting operations and leading to some frustrated employees (remember the piercing strikes…). Worse yet, get blown about at any point in the recycling process, make its way to who knows where – storm drains, lakes, forests, oceans – and potentially consumed by an array of animals. Microplastics anyone? Boo. Hiss.
Better yet, identify options to reduce plastic bottles in your life. Reusable water bottles are very trendy. More and more reuse shops are popping up – you can fill up soaps and detergents in the same bottle or glass jar many times over! Remember, reduce then reuse then recycle.
Sticky Notes
Sticky notes can be recycled. But in the theme of small items, the sticky note is about the smallest item that can be tossed into the bin as a free floater. But, if you want to be an A+ recycler, take an envelope from your junk mail and start it as your official sticky note collector. Once your collection overfloweth, place it into the recycling bin and start anew.
Pizza Boxes
This is new information for me, but yes, you can recycle your pizza box. Newer research shows the small amount of grease on the box does not interfere with the recycling process. Actually, pizza boxes are made from some high class, fancy cardboard, and are highly valued by the cardboarding recycling folks. But, be a good pizza box steward before recycling: compost any food scraps, throw away any trash (including that cute little tiny table you sometimes get inside the box), and scrape out any cheese or sauce stuck to the box.
Note: some municipalities may allow commercial composting of pizza boxes. It is always best to check with your local community before composting, as pizza boxes are considered “brown” (the moisture absorbers) and good composting relies on a certain ratio of “browns” to “greens” (the nutrient givers).
Have a recycling myth you need me to bust? You know how to find me.
Until next time,
Tiff