Unfortunately, news about environmental pollution is frequently on our agenda because of the fossil fuels used in industrial production and the plastics that are thrown into the nature immediately after use and show their harmful effects there. In order to end the pollution in question, studies are carried out in the field of sustainability.
The biggest example of this is recycling. We can say that recycling bins are the simplest method to contribute to recycling, which aims to take from a system where we produce new ones as we consume them and place them in a system where we make them reusable. But do you know the things you shouldn’t throw in these boxes? Let’s see together.
Things you should keep out of recycling bins:
- Disposable plates and cups
- Hygienic papers
- Pizza boxes
- Styrofoam packaging
- Gift wrapping and tapes
- Heat resistant glass materials
- Window windows
- Paint and antifreeze packages
- Vacuum cleaner and pet waste
- Batteries and medicines
- Nylon packaging
- Toys
- Bulbs and fluorescents
Disposable plates and cups:
Products such as plates and glasses, which we often encounter in places such as Starbucks, cannot be recycled because they contain plastic inside. They must be collected in a different place and undergo separate processing.
Hygienic papers such as toilet paper, napkins:
It is not possible to recycle contaminated hygienic papers. For this reason, many contaminated hygienic papers, from make-up removal wipes to baby diapers, from paper towels to wet wipes, should be thrown in the trash instead of recycling bins.
Pizza boxes that have already come into contact with food:
Since pizza boxes come into contact with oil, they are very difficult to recycle. The reason for this is that during recycling, the paper is left alone with water and ink solvent chemicals instead of heat treatment. Since this process does not separate oil and food residues from paper, these materials should also be kept away from recycling bins.
Styrofoam packaging that we are familiar with from ready-made food presentations:
These products, which are made of styrofoam, the main ingredient of which is petroleum, should be kept away from the recycling boxes we know, regardless of whether they are used or not. As with cardboard cups containing plastic, they also need to be collected and recycled.
Paper packaging and tape containing plastic, such as gift wrap:
The fact that these products do not go into recycling is due to the fact that they contain plastic, as you can imagine. For this reason, the tapes we use for gift wrapping, packaging and envelopes containing some plastic should be kept away from recycling bins.
Filmed glasses, mirrors and other heat-resistant glass materials:
These materials, which are made by processing the glass obtained, cannot be recycled either. Mirrors have a reflective coating behind the glass.
Window panes:
Window glasses are treated with different chemicals during construction. When they are tried to be recycled, they have the potential to damage machinery. It should not be overlooked that broken windows will pose a danger to employees.
Packages of chemicals such as paint and antifreeze:
Toxic substances such as paint, antifreeze and gasoline carried in plastic bottles prevent the recycling of these substances.
Vacuum cleaner waste and pet litter:
Vacuum cleaner bags and pet wastes, which we cannot say have much to do with recycling, should be packed and thrown away directly.
Batteries and medicines:
There are too many harmful substances to count in batteries and medicines. For this reason, it is necessary to keep these materials away from recycling bins. Instead, you can throw these materials into the boxes prepared for the collection of batteries and medicines.
In addition, we recommend that you use rechargeable batteries in order to save money and reduce the number of waste batteries.
Nylon packaging:
It is very difficult to recycle the nylon material used in packages and bags of junk food such as chips. Since it is an expensive process, these materials should be kept away from the recycling bins.
Toys:
Toys that we do not see as a threat because they are not left in nature and used, are mostly made of plastic. For this reason, it is not possible to separate and recycle them.
If you have excess toys in your home, consider donating them instead of throwing them in the trash or recycling. In this way, they will not be harmed by staying in nature and will be in use.
Bulbs and fluorescents used in lighting:
Light bulbs and fluorescents contain different metal substances. Since it is very difficult to separate them, they cannot be recycled in the same way as normal glass materials.
We have come to the end of our article in which we compiled non-recyclable materials. In order to both support recycling and not cause disruption of this process, you should be careful when throwing away the materials we have mentioned.
Sources: 1, 2,
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