17 Things You Thought Were Recyclable That Actually Aren't

While it’s great to recycle as much as possible, you may be surprised to find out that some of the items you’ve been throwing into your recycling bin don’t actually belong there. While many people recycle items to try and cut back on waste or even make money, putting nonrecyclable items with recyclable items contaminates the process. And a lot of items that are widely presumed to be recyclable actually aren’t (pizza boxes, we’re looking at you), so it can get confusing at times. If you want to recycle more efficiently and easily, keep reading for 17 things you may have been recycling for years that you actually shouldn’t be (and spread the word).

Related: 11 Things You Can Do Right Now to Help Prevent Ocean Pollution

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Greasy Pizza Boxes

Although pizza boxes are made from corrugated cardboard, which is recyclable, grease-soaked boxes with leftover food debris are not, as the paper fibers can’t be separated from the food’s oils during the pulping process.

Pexels / freestocks.org

Plastic Bags

Plastic bags are non-biodegradable, meaning they can take anywhere from 10 to 1,000 years to decompose.

Pexels / Artem Beliaikin

Coat Hangers

Metal-wire hangers often get caught on recycling equipment, resulting in massive damage to the recycling system. Plastic and wood hangers are simply not recyclable.

Unsplash / Nick Dietrich

Power Cords

Most power cords are made from recyclable copper or aluminum. However, because the metal is surrounded by a nonrecyclable insulating layer of plastic or rubber, most recycling companies won’t accept power cords.

Unsplash / Claudio Schwarz

Batteries

The ingredients of batteries make them dangerous items for recycling facilities. Rechargeable or lithium-ion batteries are particularly unwelcome as they pose the largest environmental concerns.

Related: Here’s How to Recycle Batteries – Because Honestly, We’re All Wondering

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Ceramic Dishes

The melting point of ceramics is higher than that of conventional glass, which is why most recycling facilities turn ceramics away.

Pexels / La Miko

Bubble Wrap

Bubble wrap is made of film, which is rarely accepted for curbside recycling since that type of plastic often gets wrapped up around other recyclables and stuck within machinery at facilities.

Unsplash / Andrew Pons

Brightly Dyed Paper

Any type of paper that’s heavily dyed typically is heat-treated, which contaminates the paper and makes it nonrecyclable.

Pexels / Krizjohn Rosales

Plastic Bottle Caps

Plastic bottle caps and plastic bottles aren’t made from the same material. Caps are made of a different, nonrecyclable type of plastic, so they can’t be recycled with bottles.

Pexels / Skitterphoto

Plastic Straws

Plastic straws are not only too small and thin but they bend too easily to be recycled. If they were to be recycled, they would constantly fall into the cracks of recycling machinery.

Unsplash / Caleb Lucas

Styrofoam Containers

Because styrofoam is so bulky from being made up of mostly air, it’s not cost-effective to store or ship it. It’s also often contaminated with leftover food particles.

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Plastic Utensils

Plastic cutlery can take up to 1,000 years to decompose.

Unsplash / David Edelstein

Tires

Most recycling facilities won’t accept tires as they take up too much space. In addition, they can become hazardous if they trap methane gases.

Unsplash / Ryan Quintal

Snack Bags

Most snack bags are made of mixed materials, including polypropylene, which is nonrecyclable. Facilities often find it too difficult to separate the various plastic types.

Pexels / Gratisography

Garden Hoses

Because garden hoses are so long and hard to control, they often get tangled in sorting machinery, causing damage to the equipment and endangering workers.

Unsplash / Vanessa Bucceri

Toys

Because most toys are made of layers of different materials, they are difficult to recycle.

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