Beyond Curbside Recycling

By Eva Lewandowski

When most of us think of recycling, we picture our home curbside recycling.  This type of recycling is relatively easy.  We’re given a list of items our recycling company accepts, we place them in a bin outside on the appropriate day, and our task is done!  Curbside recycling has the benefit of being convenient, but unfortunately, there are a great many things that we cannot simply put out at the curb.

So what do we do with all the things that our local recycling provider doesn’t accept?  First, we need to double check that the item isn’t accepted.  Every recycling provider has a different list of acceptable items, and those lists change from time to time.  If you have something you think can’t be recycled, double check with your provider to ensure that is the case.  When you’ve done that, determine if you can reuse the item in some way, rather than just dispose of it (and going forward, decide if you really want to purchase an item that you can’t recycle).  If you can’t put it in your curbside recycling and you can’t reuse it, there’s a chance that you might be able to recycle it in another way, if you’re willing to do a little bit of work.

Here are some additional options that will help you maximize your recycling potential:

Plastic bags– Many grocery stores have plastic bag receptacles at their entrances, and some other businesses accept them as well.  Check out our previous blog entry on plastic bag recycling for more information.

TerraCycle– This is a cool, creative company that takes otherwise difficult-to-recycle items and transforms them into new products.  Individuals or organizations can collect accepted items and then receive a free shipping label to send them to TerraCycle.  They accept plastic tape dispensers, chips bags, energy bar wrappers, deodorant containers, lip balm tubes, toothpaste tubes, and much, much more.  Check them out to see all the things you can send them.

Electronics– There are lots of places where you can recycle your old or broken electronics.  Stores like Best Buy accept electronics, as do some manufacturers.  Cities and counties sometimes accept electronics at special drop-off sites; check with your local government to find out.  Local nonprofit Tech Dump offers easy and free electronics recycling throughout the state.

Ink and toner cartridges– Office supply stores like Staples often accept printer cartridges for recycling, and many school and nonprofits accept them as part of a fundraising effort.  It should be easy to find a drop-off location close to you!

Holiday lights– The Recycling Association of Minnesota (RAM) has a statewide holiday lights recycling program each year from November through January.  Visit their website to find a drop-off location near you.

Scrap metal– Scrap yards will happily accept your excess metal, and many will even pay you for it!  Call ahead or visit their website to find out exactly what each company accepts.

Wondering about recycling other items?  Visit earth911.com to search a huge database of recycling opportunities, or call your local recycling provider or your city or county.  And remember, try to reduce consumption and reuse items first; that will cut down on how much you have left to recycle!

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