17 Things You Should be Recycling But Aren’t

If you want to do the absolute minimum to help the planet and be more sustainable, then the one thing you can do is recycle as often as possible. While you may currently recycle your bottles, cans, and paper products, there are many items that you likely didn’t realize you should add to the pile. This is a list of 17 things you should be recycling but aren’t. There are many surprising items on this list, including CDs, computers, sports equipment, Christmas trees, bikes, and more. Look around your home and see what you can give away to make the world a better place.

Clothing

First on our list of items you should be recycling is your old clothing. The world would be a much better and healthier place if everyone recycled their old clothes or at least gave them away to charity. Doing so gives other people the chance to buy your clothes at places like the Salvation Army and GoodWill. If more people bought their clothes second-hand, it would require the factories to work less to make brand new clothes, and the environment would be cleaner as a result. So, go through your kid’s old clothes and sort though the stuff you haven’t worn during the last year, and consider recycling or donating them. You can also recycle clothing dryers. Many of the materials inside of a dryer can be repurposed.

Carpet

It can be an incredible hassle to try to get rid of carpet, especially if it’s thick and heavy. Instead of putting it out for bulk trash day, consider recycling it. You can bring what you have to a carpet reclamation facility. They will recycle it and help it go to good use. The problem with large items like carpeting is that they fill up landfills and create a mess. The goal of a sustainable world should be to reduce landfills, not make them larger. If you know where you purchased your carpeting, you can also ask that company if they have a recycling program.

Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Many people have older homes and businesses with fluorescent light bulbs. If you do and you’re looking to upgrade, consider recycling them instead of putting them in the trash. Call your local recycling plant and they likely will take these bulbs. Also, if you’re near an IKEA store, they make it a point to collect your bulbs. Many communities will also have drop-off locations for fluorescent bulbs. In exchange, many may offer energy-efferent LED bulbs instead.

Holiday Decorations

Another item you didn’t realize you should be recycling is your Christmas tree. After the wonder of Christmas and the holiday season comes to an end, it can be a mystery what you should do with your live tree. It won’t fit in your garbage can, and it’s depressing to see it sitting on the street. Instead, donate it. Look online for a local tree recycling program and bring it over. Many of the old trees are used as part of soil erosion barriers, and others are sold to homeowners who want to use them to beautify their yards or hold their bird feeders. It could even be replanted to help the environment. While you’re at it, you can also recycle your holiday lights. Even if the lights no longer work, there are still components in light bulbs that can be recycled. Again, search online for a local recycling place.

Batteries

It’s tempting to simply throw away batteries when they lose their juice, but many of them can be recycled. Rechargeable batteries can usually always be recycled. You may be able to donate recyclable batteries since they can be used by other people who have a charger. Otherwise, you can look online for mail-in programs, collection events, and nonprofits like Call2Recycle. It is also possible to recycle single-use batteries. However, fewer places will take them since they have no further use. Again, you have the option to choose a program like Call2Recycle. They often send out kits for proper recycling. You can also call your local recycling center to see if they accept batteries.

Crayons

As a mom or dad, you have likely seen many crayons over the years. It’s a sad fact when your children reach a certain age where they no longer use them. So what do you do with them then? Don’t throw them out. See if there’s a neighbor or a fellow parent who can use them instead. if not, look up the National Crayon Recycling Program. They will take all of your unwanted crayons. Even the broken one. They then hand them out to children around the nation who need them. They take the rest and recycle them so they can be made into completely new crayons for a new generation of creative learners.

Compact Discs

You may not realize it, but you should be recycling your old CDs. If you’re like us, you likely have a closet full of your old CDs that you used to get for a penny from the Columbia House company. These days, you can stream all of that music online. The answer is to recycle those CDs, especially if they’re scratched or chipped. CDs are made out of polycarbonate plastic. That material can be recycled and turned into eyeglasses, auto parts, lighting fixtures, medical devices, and more. If you’re not yet ready to give away your CDs, you can turn them into other things at home, such as:

• DVD case purse
• A disco ball
• Candle holder
• Jazzy jewelry

Your old DVDs can also be recycled. So can your old video game disks like those for PlayStation and GameCube. The materials in them can be used for many different products, so don’t throw them in the trash.

Bikes

Your kids will likely go through many different bikes as they grow. What do you do with the ones that they outgrow? Millions of families throw them out, but you could recycle them instead. Look online and learn more about the Bikes of the World organization. Contact them, and they’ll take your bike out of your hands. Once they have them, they fix and clean them up and give them away to lower-income families. Sometimes, they even send them over to developing countries, where people count on them for transportation.

Printers, Electronics, and Ink Cartridges

Most of the electronics you have around your home can be recycled when they lose their luster. However, before you throw your CD player, video game console, or microwave in the recycling bin, call your local recycling center and ask for advice. Many electronics and the parts within can be reused by repurposing companies. In our evolving world, many people are going paperless, so their printers become less reverent, so consider recycling those as well. If you still use your printer but the ink cartridges run out of steam, you can recycle those as well. Investigate online, and you can find many companies that will be interested in taking those spent ink cartridges so they can use them for other purposes.

Computers

While the peripherals can be recycled, so can the computer itself. Your computer tower may seem like a basic box. However, many of the components inside can be recycled. There are metal, plastic, and other materials that can be melted down or otherwise be incorporated into something else. Just like with all electronic devices, you’ll first want to reach out to your local recycling center to determine if they take computers and the best ways to deliver them.

Liquids and Chemicals

Though you shouldn’t pour all of your liquids into the recycling bin, there are several that can be recycled. For instance, commercial cooking oil can be recycled, and companies can use it for many different purposes after you’re done with it. Many of the fertilizers you use in the garden can also be recycled if you no longer have a use for them. That goes for residential users and large commercial operations. Many of the liquids in your kitchen can also be recycled. For instance, milk bottles are made out of heavy-duty polyethylene, which can be reused for other things. Finally, head out to your garage and recycle your antifreeze and old motor oil. Search online for programs that will take your chemicals.

Cardboard Boxes and Packaging Materials

This one may make a bit more sense, but you should be recycling cardboard boxes you no longer need. If the box has holes and is basically unusable, you can just put them in the recycling bin. However, if they’re in good shape, bring them to the recycling center, and they can put them to good use. You could also bring them to grocery stores and moving companies, and they may also be able to use them. Also, recycle packing materials, including Styrofoam, plastic bubbles, and paper. You can bring these to moving companies or put them in your bin. Materials like these can be reused and repurposed in many different ways. While we’re on the subject, you can also recycle shredded paper because companies can use that paper to make other things.

Large Appliances

Many large appliances can be recycled, mostly due to the components inside that can be used in other things. For instance, your clothes dryer can be recycled. Just call up the city before the fact to find out how to do it. Other appliances that can be recycled include dryers, stoves, dishwashers, freezers, water heaters, and blenders. If your appliances are still working, consider donating them to the Salvation Army because they can sell them to other people who may need them. If your appliances are too large or you don’t know where to bring them, consider calling an appliance-removal service in your town.

The Stuff In Your Bathroom

Many of the items you use in the bathroom every day can be recycled once they are no longer useful. It’s tempting and easy to throw them in the trash but recycle them instead. For instance, once your shaving razor gets dull, recycle it because the metal in the blades can be reused for many different purposes. You can also recycle your old toothbrushes. You may not realize it, but many of the components in them, from the bristles to the plastic holder, can be repurposed. Many other items in your bathroom, from your floss cases to your toothbrush holder, can also be recycled and can find a new home as something else.

Eyeglasses

Other items you should be recycling include your sun and eyeglasses. As we get older, our prescription changes, so what do you do with your old eyeglasses? Instead of throwing them out, recycle them. Many of the components in your glasses, including the lenses, nose protectors, and plastic frames can be broken down and used for other things. Head to your optometrist to ask where you should recycle your glasses. Sometimes, it may be at their office. You also recycle your sunglasses when you feel like they’ve gone out of style.

Cell Phones

If you’re like many people, you have a drawer of old cell phones that could date back 20+ years. If you do, consider recycling them. Much of the plastic, electronic components, and metal in many phones can be used for other things. It usually doesn’t matter how old they are either. However, just be cautious that some newer phones have unique components that can’t be recycled. The best thing to do is to call your phone company to see what to do next.

Sports Equipment

You should be recycling your sports equipment . Whether it’s baseballs, footballs, bats, or tennis rackets, you can recycle them in one way or another. You can either recycle them the normal way or you can call a local sports company or team and ask if they need what you have. Once you outgrow your athletic shoes, you can recycle those as well. Many shoes include various recyclable materials, including cotton, metal, or nylon, which are components that can be used in other things. You can also donate your shoes so that someone else who needs them can wear them.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Ground Picture/Shutterstock.com.

Up Next:

• Save the Earth Kids Activities
• Even More Easy Crafts with Recycled Materials
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