I recently received an email from a friend with all of this recycling advice from The Nature Conservancy and I thought I'd share:
Aerosol cans: pull off the plastic cap, empty the canister completely and recycle with other cans.
Antiperspirant and deodorant sticks: Many brands have a dial on the bottom that is made of a plastic polymer that's different from the plastic used for the container, so you might not be able to recycle the whole thing (look on the bottom to find out). Tom's of Maine makes a deodorant stick composed solely of plastic No. 5.
Backpacks: The American Birding Association accepts donated backpacks, which its scientists use while tracking neotropical birds (americanbirding.org).
Batteries: Drop off at the recycling center. For car batteries - almost any retailer selling them will also collect and recycle them.
Bottle Caps: Visit Recycle Caps with Aveda for more information.
Carpeting (nylon fiber): Go to carpetrecovery.org and click on "What can I do with my old carpet?" to find a carpet-reclamation facility near you, or check with your carpet's manufacturer.
Aerosol cans: pull off the plastic cap, empty the canister completely and recycle with other cans.
Antiperspirant and deodorant sticks: Many brands have a dial on the bottom that is made of a plastic polymer that's different from the plastic used for the container, so you might not be able to recycle the whole thing (look on the bottom to find out). Tom's of Maine makes a deodorant stick composed solely of plastic No. 5.
Backpacks: The American Birding Association accepts donated backpacks, which its scientists use while tracking neotropical birds (americanbirding.org).
Batteries: Drop off at the recycling center. For car batteries - almost any retailer selling them will also collect and recycle them.
Bottle Caps: Visit Recycle Caps with Aveda for more information.
Carpeting (nylon fiber): Go to carpetrecovery.org and click on "What can I do with my old carpet?" to find a carpet-reclamation facility near you, or check with your carpet's manufacturer.
Cars, Jet Skis, boats, trailers, RVs, and motorcycles: Even if
these are unusable―totaled, rusted―they still have metal and other
components that can be recycled. Call junkyards in your area, or go to junkmycar.com,
which will pick up and remove these items for free. Or donate to a
good cause such as the American Cancer Society.
Cell phones: The Wireless Foundation refurbishes old phones to give to domestic-violence survivors (calltoprotect.org.) More cell-phone charities can be found at recyclewirelessphones.com.
Christmas lights: Ship your old lights to holidayleds.com, Attention: Recycling Program, 120 W. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1403, Jackson MI 49201. You will receive a coupon for 10% off its LED lights, which use 80% less energy, are safer and last 10 years or more!
Compact fluorescent lightbulbs: CFLs contain mercury and shouldn't be thrown in the trash. Ikea and the Home Depot operate CFL recycling programs; you can also check with your local hardware store or recycling center to see if it offers recycling services.
Computers: You can return used computers to their manufacturers for recycling (check mygreenelectronics.com for a list of vendors) or donate them to a charitable organization (log on to sharetechnology.org or cristina.org). Nextsteprecycling.org
repairs your broken computers and gives them to underfunded schools,
needy families, and nonprofits.
DVDs, CDs, and jewel cases: you can swap old cds with others at zunafish.com. If you prefer to toss them - send them (along with DVDs and jewel cases) to greendisk.com for recycling.
Eyeglasses: Donate them to neweyesfortheneedy.com (sunglasses can also be donated). Or drop off at LensCrafters, Target Optical, or other participating stores and doctors' offices, which will send them to givethegiftofsight.org.
Fire extinguishers: There are two types of extinguishers. For a dry-chemical extinguisher, safely relieve the remaining pressure, remove the head from the container, and place it with your bulk-metal items (check with your local recycler first). Or, call fire-equipment companies and request that they dispose of your extinguisher. Carbon dioxide extinguishers are refillable after each use.
Formal wear: Finally, a use for that mauve prom or bridesmaid dress: Give it to a girl who can't afford one (go to operationfairydust.org or catherinescloset.org).
Gadgets: Send PDAs, MP3 players to Recycleforbreastcancer.org, They will send you a prepaid shipping label, recycle your gadgets, and donate the proceeds to breast cancer charities.
Glue strips and inserts in magazines: Lotion samples and nonpaper promotional items affixed to glue strips in magazines should be removed because they can jam up recycling equipment (scented perfume strips, on the other hand, are fine). \
Hearing aids: The Starkey Hearing Foundation (sotheworldmayhear.org) recycles used hearing aids, any make or model, no matter how old. Lions Clubs also accept hearing aids (as well as eyeglasses) for reuse; log on to donateglasses.net to find collection centers near you.
Holiday cards: throw them into the paper recycling bin or send them to St. Jude's Ranch for Children (stjudesranch.org). Kids cut off the front covers, glue them onto new cards, and sell - the result - earning money and confidence.
iPods: Bring in an old iPod to an Apple store and get 10% off a new one. The discount is valid only that day, so be prepared to buy your new iPod.
Leather accessories: there's no recycling option. Donate shoes in decent condition to solesforsouls.org, a nonprofit that collects used footwear and distributes it to needy communities.
Mattresses and box springs: Mattresses are made of recyclable materials, such as wire, paper, and cloth, but not all cities accept them for recycling. (Go to earth911.org to find out if yours does.)
Mirrors: These aren't recyclable through most municipal recyclers, because the chemicals on the glass can't be mixed with glass bottles and jars. You can donate them to secondhand stores, of course. Or if the mirror is broken, put it in a paper bag for the safety of your trash collectors. To find out what your municipality recycles, call 800-CLEANUP or visit recyclingcenters.org.
Notebooks (spiral): It may seem weird to toss a metal-bound notebook into the paper recycling, but worry not―the machinery will pull out smaller nonpaper items. One caveat: If the cover is plastic, rip that off.
Office envelopes
Phone books: Many cities offer collection services. Also check yellowpages.com/recycle, or call AT&T's phone book-recycling line at 800-953-4400.
Pizza boxes: If cheese and grease are stuck to the box, rip out the affected areas and recycle the rest as corrugated cardboard. Food residue can ruin a whole batch of paper if it is left to sit in the recycling facility and begins to decompose.
Plastic bottle caps: Toss them. "They're made from a plastic that melts at a different rate than the bottles, and they degrade the quality of the plastic if they get mixed in," says Kite.
Prescription drugs: The Starfish Project (thestarfish-project.org) collects some unused medications (TB medicines, antifungals, antivirals) and gives them to clinics in Nigeria. The organization will send you a prepaid FedEx label, too.
Printer-ink cartridges: Seventy percent are thrown into landfills, where it will take 450 years for them to decompose. "Cartridges are like gas tanks," says Jim Cannan, cartridge-collection manager at Recycleplace.com. "They don't break. They just run out of ink. Making new ones is like changing motors every time you run out of gas." Take them to Staples and get $3 off your next cartridge purchase, or mail HP-brand cartridges back to HP.
Recreational equipment: Don't send tennis rackets to your local recycling center. "People may think we're going to give them to Goodwill," says Sadonna Cody, director of government affairs for the Northbay Corporation and Redwood Empire Disposal, in Santa Rosa, California, "but they'll just be trashed." Trade sports gear in at Play It Again Sports (playitagainsports.com), or donate it to sportsgift.org, which gives gently used equipment to needy kids around the world. Mail to Sports Gift, 32545 B Golden Lantern #478, Dana Point CA 92629. As for skis, send them to skichair.com, 4 Abbott Place, Millbury MA 01527; they'll be turned into Adirondack-style beach chairs.
Rugs (cotton or wool): If your town's recycling center accepts rugs, great. If not, you're out of luck, because you can't ship rugs directly to a fabric recycler; they need to be sent in bulk. Your best bet is to donate them to the thrift store of a charity, like the Salvation Army.
Shower curtains and liners: Most facilities do not recycle these because they're made of PVC. (If PVC gets in with other plastics, it can compromise the chemical makeup of the recycled material.)
Six-pack rings: See if your local school participates in the Ring Leader Recycling Program (ringleader.com); kids collect six-pack rings to be recycled into other plastic items, including plastic lumber and plastic shipping pallets.
Smoke detectors: Some towns accept those that have beeped their last beep. If yours doesn't, try the manufacturer. First Alert takes back detectors (you pay for shipping); call 800-323-9005 for information.
Soap dispensers (pump): Most plastic ones are recyclable; toss them in with the other plastics.
Stereos and VCRs: Visit earth911.org for a list of recyclers, retail stores, and manufacturers near you that accept electronics. Small companies are popping up to handle electronic waste (or e-waste) as well: Greencitizen.com in San Francisco will pull apart your electronics and recycle them at a cost ranging from nothing to 50 cents a pound. And the 10 nationwide locations of freegeek.org offer a similar service.
Tinfoil: It's aluminum, not tin. So rinse it off, wad it up, and toss it in with the beer and soda cans.
Tires: You can often leave old tires with the dealer when you buy new ones (just check that they'll be recycled). Worn-out tires can be reused as highway paving, doormats, hoses, shoe soles, and more.
Tissue boxes with plastic dispensers: The plastic portion will be filtered out during the recycling process, so you can usually recycle tissue boxes with cardboard.
Toothpaste tubes: Even with all that sticky paste inside, you can recycle aluminum tubes (put them with the aluminum cans), but not plastic ones.
TVs: Best Buy will remove and recycle a set when it delivers a new one. Or bring old ones to Office Depot to be recycled. Got a Sony TV? Take it to a drop-off center listed at sony.com/recycle.
Umbrellas: If it's a broken metal one, drop the metal skeleton in with scrap metal (remove the fabric and the handle first). Plastic ones aren't accepted.
Videotapes, cassettes, and floppy disks: These aren't accepted. "Videotapes are a nightmare," says Outerbridge. "They get tangled and caught on everything." Instead, send tapes to the ACT (actrecycling.org) facility in Columbia, Missouri, which employs disabled people to clean, erase, and resell videotapes. You can also send videotapes, cassettes, and floppy disks to greendisk.com; recycling 20 pounds or less costs $6.95, plus shipping.
Wheelchairs: Go to lifenets.org/wheelchair, which acts as a matchmaker, uniting wheelchairs with those who need them.
Wine corks: they are biodegradable so put them in a compost bin because. Plastic corks can't be composted or recycled.
Wipes and sponges: not recyclable. But sea sponges and natural sponges made from vegetable cellulose are biodegradable and can be tossed into a compost heap.
Writing implements: You can't recycle pens, pencils, and markers, but you can donate usable ones to schools that are short on these supplies. There's always the option of buying refillable pencils and biodegradable pens made of corn (like those at grassrootsstore.com) so that less waste winds up in the landfill.
Zippered plastic bags: Venues that recycle plastic bags will also accept these items, as long as they are clean, dry, and the zip part has been snipped off (it's a different type of plastic).
Cell phones: The Wireless Foundation refurbishes old phones to give to domestic-violence survivors (calltoprotect.org.) More cell-phone charities can be found at recyclewirelessphones.com.
Christmas lights: Ship your old lights to holidayleds.com, Attention: Recycling Program, 120 W. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1403, Jackson MI 49201. You will receive a coupon for 10% off its LED lights, which use 80% less energy, are safer and last 10 years or more!
Compact fluorescent lightbulbs: CFLs contain mercury and shouldn't be thrown in the trash. Ikea and the Home Depot operate CFL recycling programs; you can also check with your local hardware store or recycling center to see if it offers recycling services.
Computers: You can return used computers to their manufacturers for recycling (check mygreenelectronics.com for a list of vendors) or donate them to a charitable organization (log on to sharetechnology.org or cristina.org). Nextsteprecycli
DVDs, CDs, and jewel cases: you can swap old cds with others at zunafish.com. If you prefer to toss them - send them (along with DVDs and jewel cases) to greendisk.com for recycling.
Eyeglasses: Donate them to neweyesfortheneedy.com (sunglasses can also be donated). Or drop off at LensCrafters, Target Optical, or other participating stores and doctors' offices, which will send them to givethegiftofsight.org.
Fire extinguishers: There are two types of extinguishers. For a dry-chemical extinguisher, safely relieve the remaining pressure, remove the head from the container, and place it with your bulk-metal items (check with your local recycler first). Or, call fire-equipment companies and request that they dispose of your extinguisher. Carbon dioxide extinguishers are refillable after each use.
Formal wear: Finally, a use for that mauve prom or bridesmaid dress: Give it to a girl who can't afford one (go to operationfairydust.org or catherinescloset.org).
Gadgets: Send PDAs, MP3 players to Recycleforbreastcancer.org, They will send you a prepaid shipping label, recycle your gadgets, and donate the proceeds to breast cancer charities.
Glue strips and inserts in magazines: Lotion samples and nonpaper promotional items affixed to glue strips in magazines should be removed because they can jam up recycling equipment (scented perfume strips, on the other hand, are fine). \
Hearing aids: The Starkey Hearing Foundation (sotheworldmayhear.org) recycles used hearing aids, any make or model, no matter how old. Lions Clubs also accept hearing aids (as well as eyeglasses) for reuse; log on to donateglasses.net to find collection centers near you.
Holiday cards: throw them into the paper recycling bin or send them to St. Jude's Ranch for Children (stjudesranch.org). Kids cut off the front covers, glue them onto new cards, and sell - the result - earning money and confidence.
iPods: Bring in an old iPod to an Apple store and get 10% off a new one. The discount is valid only that day, so be prepared to buy your new iPod.
Leather accessories: there's no recycling option. Donate shoes in decent condition to solesforsouls.org, a nonprofit that collects used footwear and distributes it to needy communities.
Mattresses and box springs: Mattresses are made of recyclable materials, such as wire, paper, and cloth, but not all cities accept them for recycling. (Go to earth911.org to find out if yours does.)
Mirrors: These aren't recyclable through most municipal recyclers, because the chemicals on the glass can't be mixed with glass bottles and jars. You can donate them to secondhand stores, of course. Or if the mirror is broken, put it in a paper bag for the safety of your trash collectors. To find out what your municipality recycles, call 800-CLEANUP or visit recyclingcenters.org.
Notebooks (spiral): It may seem weird to toss a metal-bound notebook into the paper recycling, but worry not―the machinery will pull out smaller nonpaper items. One caveat: If the cover is plastic, rip that off.
Office envelopes
- Envelopes with plastic windows: Recycle them with regular office paper. The filters will sieve out the plastic.
- FedEx: Paper FedEx envelopes can be recycled, and there's no need to pull off the plastic sleeve. FedEx Paks made of Tyvek are also recyclable.
- Goldenrod: Those ubiquitous mustard-colored envelopes are not recyclable, because goldenrod paper (as well as dark or fluorescent paper) is saturated with hard-to-remove dyes.
- Jiffy Paks: even the paper-padded ones filled with that material resembling dryer lint―are recyclable with other mixed papers.
- Padded envelopes with Bubble Wrap: These can't be recycled.
- Post-its: The sticky stuff gets filtered out, so these office standbys can usually be recycled with paper.
Phone books: Many cities offer collection services. Also check yellowpages.com/recycle, or call AT&T's phone book-recycling line at 800-953-4400.
Pizza boxes: If cheese and grease are stuck to the box, rip out the affected areas and recycle the rest as corrugated cardboard. Food residue can ruin a whole batch of paper if it is left to sit in the recycling facility and begins to decompose.
Plastic bottle caps: Toss them. "They're made from a plastic that melts at a different rate than the bottles, and they degrade the quality of the plastic if they get mixed in," says Kite.
Prescription drugs: The Starfish Project (thestarfish-project.org) collects some unused medications (TB medicines, antifungals, antivirals) and gives them to clinics in Nigeria. The organization will send you a prepaid FedEx label, too.
Printer-ink cartridges: Seventy percent are thrown into landfills, where it will take 450 years for them to decompose. "Cartridges are like gas tanks," says Jim Cannan, cartridge-collection manager at Recycleplace.com. "They don't break. They just run out of ink. Making new ones is like changing motors every time you run out of gas." Take them to Staples and get $3 off your next cartridge purchase, or mail HP-brand cartridges back to HP.
Recreational equipment: Don't send tennis rackets to your local recycling center. "People may think we're going to give them to Goodwill," says Sadonna Cody, director of government affairs for the Northbay Corporation and Redwood Empire Disposal, in Santa Rosa, California, "but they'll just be trashed." Trade sports gear in at Play It Again Sports (playitagainsports.com), or donate it to sportsgift.org, which gives gently used equipment to needy kids around the world. Mail to Sports Gift, 32545 B Golden Lantern #478, Dana Point CA 92629. As for skis, send them to skichair.com, 4 Abbott Place, Millbury MA 01527; they'll be turned into Adirondack-style beach chairs.
Rugs (cotton or wool): If your town's recycling center accepts rugs, great. If not, you're out of luck, because you can't ship rugs directly to a fabric recycler; they need to be sent in bulk. Your best bet is to donate them to the thrift store of a charity, like the Salvation Army.
Shower curtains and liners: Most facilities do not recycle these because they're made of PVC. (If PVC gets in with other plastics, it can compromise the chemical makeup of the recycled material.)
Six-pack rings: See if your local school participates in the Ring Leader Recycling Program (ringleader.com); kids collect six-pack rings to be recycled into other plastic items, including plastic lumber and plastic shipping pallets.
Smoke detectors: Some towns accept those that have beeped their last beep. If yours doesn't, try the manufacturer. First Alert takes back detectors (you pay for shipping); call 800-323-9005 for information.
Soap dispensers (pump): Most plastic ones are recyclable; toss them in with the other plastics.
Stereos and VCRs: Visit earth911.org for a list of recyclers, retail stores, and manufacturers near you that accept electronics. Small companies are popping up to handle electronic waste (or e-waste) as well: Greencitizen.com in San Francisco will pull apart your electronics and recycle them at a cost ranging from nothing to 50 cents a pound. And the 10 nationwide locations of freegeek.org offer a similar service.
Tinfoil: It's aluminum, not tin. So rinse it off, wad it up, and toss it in with the beer and soda cans.
Tires: You can often leave old tires with the dealer when you buy new ones (just check that they'll be recycled). Worn-out tires can be reused as highway paving, doormats, hoses, shoe soles, and more.
Tissue boxes with plastic dispensers: The plastic portion will be filtered out during the recycling process, so you can usually recycle tissue boxes with cardboard.
Toothpaste tubes: Even with all that sticky paste inside, you can recycle aluminum tubes (put them with the aluminum cans), but not plastic ones.
TVs: Best Buy will remove and recycle a set when it delivers a new one. Or bring old ones to Office Depot to be recycled. Got a Sony TV? Take it to a drop-off center listed at sony.com/recycle.
Umbrellas: If it's a broken metal one, drop the metal skeleton in with scrap metal (remove the fabric and the handle first). Plastic ones aren't accepted.
Videotapes, cassettes, and floppy disks: These aren't accepted. "Videotapes are a nightmare," says Outerbridge. "They get tangled and caught on everything." Instead, send tapes to the ACT (actrecycling.org) facility in Columbia, Missouri, which employs disabled people to clean, erase, and resell videotapes. You can also send videotapes, cassettes, and floppy disks to greendisk.com; recycling 20 pounds or less costs $6.95, plus shipping.
Wheelchairs: Go to lifenets.org/wheelchair, which acts as a matchmaker, uniting wheelchairs with those who need them.
Wine corks: they are biodegradable so put them in a compost bin because. Plastic corks can't be composted or recycled.
Wipes and sponges: not recyclable. But sea sponges and natural sponges made from vegetable cellulose are biodegradable and can be tossed into a compost heap.
Writing implements: You can't recycle pens, pencils, and markers, but you can donate usable ones to schools that are short on these supplies. There's always the option of buying refillable pencils and biodegradable pens made of corn (like those at grassrootsstore.com) so that less waste winds up in the landfill.
Zippered plastic bags: Venues that recycle plastic bags will also accept these items, as long as they are clean, dry, and the zip part has been snipped off (it's a different type of plastic).
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