Unexpected Things That You Can Recycle

Are you doing your part for the planet?

Minimising waste and recycling as much as possible area mong the easiest yet very impactful ways to help protect your local environment. Recycling not only reduces waste that sits in landfill (where some rubbish items will last for many hundreds or even thousands of years), but also helps keep harmful substances out of waterways, oceans, the atmosphere, and soil. This is crucial to protect all forms of life – plant, animal, bird, insect, marine, and human.

We should all be recycling regularly, using our council kerbside bins. These accommodate paper waste, clear and green glass, hard plastic bottles and containers (but not lids), and steel or aluminium cans(including empty aerosols).

But did you know that there are literally dozens, if not hundreds, of other things that can be recycled?

10 Unexpected Things You Can Recycle

Many, many items can be recycled. Some, you can even repurpose and reuse yourself at home! But even if you’re not inclined to get creative at home, the correct facility can recycle an amazing array of things.

*Note that NONE of these can be placed in your kerbside bin! Simply search online or visit your local council website for the appropriate recycling/repurposing facility for the items you wish to recycle.

1. Crayons – small though they may be, crayons clog landfills. They are not biodegradable, and they become a waxy sludge. There are initiatives which can meltdown and remanufacture crayons.
2. Wine Cork – natural corks can be composted or recycled by companies like Planet Ark. They are used in things like playground matting.
3. Prescription Medications and Inhalers – these should NEVER be thrown away. Return them to your local pharmacy.
4. Toothbrushes – every single toothbrush ever manufactured still exists. Terracycle is a company which partners with Colgate(and other companies) to recycle toothbrushes, dental floss, toothpaste tubes, and other items including bread bag closures, contact lenses, Burt’s Bees cosmetics, razors, and much more.
5. Hearing Aids – Recycled Sound is an Australian non-profit organization which has drop-off locations in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, as well as others in Victoria. Alternatively, used hearing aids can be posted.
6. Spectacles and Sunglasses – return old spectacles, sunglasses, and frames to your local optometrist. They can be recycled and reused, often in needy remote communities or Third World countries.
7. CDs, DVDs, and VHS Tapes – along with other computer waste can be split into component parts for recycling.
8. Fluorescent Light Bulbs – these are damaging in landfill as they release mercury into the air. Recycle these so that the glass, mercury, and other components can be safely reused.
9. Ink Toner and Cartridges – more than 350 million ink cartridges are sent to landfill annually. They can be effectively recycled to reuse many of their parts.
10. Mobile phones – most vendors have a recycling box in-store for old phones, chargers, and batteries.

There’s Much More to Recycle!

Other unexpected items that are suitable for recycling include:

• Batteries
• Shingles
• Balloons
• Pens
• Skincare, Haircare, and Cosmetic Packaging. (L’Occitane and Kiehl’s, for example, have a return to store program)
• Foam Packaging
• Carpet
• Bras
• Clothing and Shoes
• Clothes Dryers, Washing Machines, and Refrigerators
• Bio-Plastics
• Motor Oil
• Home Electronics
• Packing Materials
• Sports Equipment
• Athletic Shoes
• Commercial Cooking Oil
• Fertilizers
• Bicycles
• Christmas Lights
• Mattresses
• Apple Products (instore recycling initiative)
• Greeting Cards
• Juice Pouches
• Keys
• Coffee Pods
• … and much, much more!

These listed items are just the tip of the huge proverbial iceberg of what can be recycled! As you can see, relatively very few things need to be sent to landfill – and this becomes even less if you adopt green behaviours at home such as composting!

Choose Mindful Waste Removal

More people are adopting environmentally-friendly lifestyles, and all of us are responsible for the world we live in – and this includes actively caring for our local environment. It involves a commitment to genuine waste reduction and mindful recycling. By hiring the best rubbish removal experts near you or taking your recyclable items to your nearest appropriate waste recycling facility, you are taking a big step towards sustainable living for a healthier, cleaner, happier planet.