Poor Recycling Techniques – How To Avoid Them

It can be hard to sieve through the vast amount of different recycling techniques the internet has to offer, and knowing which ones are worth your time isn’t always clear. Our clients often ask us how they can help the environment from their homes in a way that fits in with their lifestyles, so our local house clearance team wants to share with you some ideas on how to avoid poor recycling techniques, helping not only the environment but you too.

Reuse Your Shopping Bags, But Do Not Recycle Them

Many of us have a cupboard under the sink with old shopping bags (lots of our local house clearance team do) that we use for bin bags. This is a great reusing technique until we throw them in the recycling. Bin bags dissolve into microplastics that are potentially harmful to the environment and wildlife, and can also get caught in machinery which in turn shuts down the equipment. In some recycling centers the staff are not allowed to open the bags, meaning the entire bag, even if it’s full of recyclable cardboard, needs to be thrown into the bin. We recommend not bagging your recyclables and putting them straight into your recycling bin.

Follow the Clean, Empty, Dry Rule

This is a lesser-known recycling rule that can make a big difference. Food containers that aren’t cleaned and dried before being recycled can be a fast-track to landfill, meaning that even if you put it in the correct bin, it might not be helping the environment at all. Here at Greenleaf Clearance, we urge our clients to clean what they can before recycling such as washing out tins and plastic containers and rinsing bottles. Pizza boxes can also be recycled; it’s worth tearing off parts covered in toppings or grease and only recycling the dry parts. Even this will go a long way.

Avoid the Takeaway, Buy the Reusable

Reusable coffee takeaway cups have grown in popularity over the past few years and our local house clearance team love to see more and more pop up in the houses we visit. However, if you are getting a takeaway coffee and forget your cup (we all do sometimes), try to separate the cardboard from the cardboard-looking plastic (the part on the inside that holds your drink). Recycling only works when like materials are together and placing the whole cup into the recycling bin means none of it goes to where you want it to.

Do The Wrapping Paper Test

With Christmas coming up we want to share an all-important tip to help the planet, that you can do from your own home. Stay away from the laminated and glittery wrapping paper this Christmas and opt for paper that can be recycled. The wrapping paper test can quickly determine if it can be. Scrunch the paper into a ball, if it bounces back open it can’t be recycled, if it stays scrunched it can!

Find Local Centers That Help

Here at Greenleaf Clearance, our local house clearance team can help you recycle items safely and efficiently. We take the guessing out of the equation and give you peace of mind, categorising the materials so you don’t have to. If you would like to speak to us or get a free quote, please call us on 07884 082 197.