With Halloween just around the corner, it’s important to celebrate safely and responsibly. The spooky season is filled with our favorite witches and ghouls. Scary can be fun, but not when it comes to recycling! These five common items make your recycling team scream. Keep them out of the blue cart as you prepare for trick-or-treating season.
- Clothing: Halloween costumes are a blast. When you’re done, don’t reach for the recycling cart. Instead, organize an exchange with your school, friends, or neighborhood. You can also donate costumes to your local thrift store.
- Food and liquids: Remember, food and liquids should never go in the recycling. Make sure to rinse food out of cans and jars before tossing them in the cart.
- Plastic bags: These are the most frightening of all. Plastic bags are known as tanglers because they easily get tangled up in sorting equipment at the recycling center, damaging equipment and causing safety hazards for workers. Never put plastic bags in the recycling bin. Instead, take plastic bags and plastic film to a drop-off location near you for recycling. Many local retailers accept plastic bags.
- Other tanglers: Garden hoses, rope, leashes, wire, holiday lights, string, and chains should never go in the recycling bin. These items are also known as “tanglers.” If they are in good condition, donate them. Otherwise, they belong in the trash.
- Icky stuff: Dirty diapers and pet waste can really make a horrifying mess when they end up where they shouldn’t — the recycle bin! These materials will spoil other recyclables, turning the load into garbage. Trash these instead and keep recyclables clean and dry.