Everyone knows they should recycle, but not everyone knows how to properly sort their products for recycling. In fact, at Best Disposal Inc., we’ve noticed that some items frequently tossed into the recycling bin aren’t recyclable at all.
To help reduce waste and expand our community’s knowledge about recycling, we’d like to share four important tips to remember before you fill your bin:
- Avoid throwing banned materials in the trash. North Carolina has a statewide landfill ban on common recyclable materials like plastic bottles, yard waste, aluminum cans, and wood pallets. Make sure these are properly cleaned and prepared before recycling them.
- Comply with recycling requirements. Some items are recyclable, but have non-recyclable components attached, such as the labels on certain plastic bottles. In these instances, you should remove the label before rinsing out the bottle and placing it in the recycling bin.
- Know what the different symbols mean. The little recycling symbols you see on packaging today don’t actually symbolize recyclable materials. These icons were initially created by the Society of Plastics Industry to show how much plastic resin a certain item contained. Each number corresponds to a specific type of plastic product and whether or not it can be recycled to create a new material. For more information, check out this helpful chart from the Almanac!
- Check your city’s recycling guidelines. Not all cities recycle everything that claims to be recyclable. This can be frustrating for people who want to do the right thing, but feel confused about what belongs in the recycling bin or the trash. If you’re located in North Carolina, our professionals can help with recycling everything from wood to yard waste to metal scraps in case your community service doesn’t offer the type of recycling you need.
For more information about the regulations in your specific region, check out your city’s official website to determine which items are eligible for recycling. If you’re a North Carolinian, you can take advantage of our recycling services in Lexington, Greensboro, High Point, and Winston-Salem. We encourage you to visit our business in Lexington or browse our website to learn how our services can help keep our community clean!