With the uproar in different types of media and publicity, recycling seems to be the go-to trend these days. The green campaign has effectively lessened the garbage that goes to different landfills. However, even if the thought and intention to recycle is present, the discipline to do it might need some polishing.
Different materials call for different methods of recycling. For instance, paper recyclables should be dry and free of other substances or adhesives, plastic bottles should be washed clean, and glass should be separated into three colors: green, brown, and clear. In local laws of solid waste management, it is mandatory to keep each kind of recyclable item in its separate bin. The segregation would make recycling easier and will avoid the contamination of recycled bales.
Anne Germain of the National Waste and Recycling Association (NWRA), said in an interview that there are six items in general that disrupt the segregation and recycling process. These are items that citizens throw out together with the recyclables. Also, there are instances when a recyclable item is thrown into the wrong bin which disrupts the process just the same.
Germain explained how each item complicates an otherwise smooth operation in a recycling facility. NWRA has worked with different organizations on a list in the hope of reminding the public to recycle consciously. The following are the items included in the list:
Reusing plastic bags is highly recommended instead of throwing them into the recycling bin. A plastic bag mistakenly thrown in the paper bin could get caught in the machinery, get tangled, hinder actual recyclable material to pass through the machinery, and effectively puts a halt to the whole process.
Ropes, hoses, Christmas lights, and other lengthy items can get entangled in the machinery. Batteries and electronic waste should also have a separate bin because a different facility would handle this. Improper disposal of a battery can cause explosions or a chemical leak.
A good bulk of recyclable items are those used for food packaging. Before tossing out food containers, it must be empty and free from scraps of food. A can of soda should be emptied before it is tossed out. The food wastes, on the other hand, goes into the food disposal or a separate residual waste bin.
Others include syringes which should be discarded as hazardous waste and diapers which should be thrown out in a separate bag as well.
Germain stressed out that improper recycling has caused China to turn away recycled bales because the bale has been deemed contaminated. For instance, a can of soda was mistakenly flattened into a bale of paper recyclables. These rejected bales then go to landfills with the possibility to be stuck there for a long time.
