Recycling Myths

Recycling Mythbusters: Do I have to remove tape from my cardboard boxes? Should I put my glass through the dishwasher before recycling? Do I need to remove paper labels from my cans? We bust these recycling myths and more to help break down barriers - real or imagined - between residents and recycling.

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Landfills are NOT Compost Piles

Text: Landfills are not giant compost piles. Photo: A pile of garbage.
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LANDFILLS ARE NOT GIANT COMPOST PILES

Americans generate trash at an astonishing rate of 4.9 pounds per person every day, which collectively amounts to 292.4 million tons per year! [source: EPA]

BUT ALL THAT WASTE DOESN'T BREAK DOWN ONCE IT HITS THE LANDFILL!

Landfills are not designed to break down waste, only to store it. Garbage in a landfill does decompose - VERY slowly and in a sealed, oxygen-free environment. Because of the lack ofRead more

Recyclable Does NOT Mean Processable

Text: Just because it's recyclable does not mean it's processable. Photo: A pile of garbage
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♻️JUST BECAUSE IT'S RECYCLABLE, DOESN'T MEAN IT'S PROCESSABLE.♻️

Wondering what that even means? Well, let's break it down!

Most things are recyclable, meaning if you had the machinery, expertise, and market, most things could be broken down to their parts, compressed back into raw material, and used again. Think about items that may be recycled in one town and not in another. It's not that the item magically becomes recyclable once it crosses town lines, butRead more

Recycling can Earn Money AND Decrease Disposal Costs

Text: Recycling can earn money AND decrease disposal costs. Photo: Bags of trash being converted into dollar signs
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Did you know? Recycling can EARN MONEY and DECREASE DISPOSAL COSTS for a town or city.

- Revenue is earned by selling high quality recyclable material to responsible vendors.
- Disposal costs (how much it costs for waste to be landfilled or incinerated) are decreased as material is diverted from the solid waste stream and is recycled instead.
The combination of revenue from recycling and decreased costs by avoiding disposal, plus theRead more

One Person CAN Make a Difference!

One person CAN make a difference when it comes to recycling! with image of person with head in recycling bin
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♻️ One person CAN make a difference when it comes to recycling!♻️

Each piece you recycle - no matter how small - adds up. Take, for example, a single aluminum can - recycling just one can save enough energy to run a 14 watt CFL bulb for 20 hours, a computer for 3 hours, or a TV for 2 hours! Recycle a 6-pack and you've saved enough energy to run a computer for more than a day (27 hours). If you and 40 of your closest friends recycle just one 6-pack a month, you'll beRead more

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This material is based upon work supported under a grant by the Rural Utilities Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Rural Utilities Service. Rural Community Assistance Partnership, Inc., is an equal opportunity provider and employer.