Source: Can I Recycle This? A Guide to Recycling Paper, Plastic and Everything in Between – EcoWatch
Can I put this pizza box in with the cardboard? What about that oat milk container? Does this envelope have plastic in it?
The recycling system in the U.S. is far from perfect, and recycling is often used as a scapegoat to justify overconsumption. The oil and gas industries – producers of virgin plastic – spent millions on advertising in the 80s to advocate for recycling, knowing that it wouldn’t be a large-scale solution to our waste problem and would encourage consumers to purchase more plastic. Fast forward to 2018, when 292.4 million tons of municipal solid waste were generated in the U.S. in a single year: 4.9 pounds per person per day. Of this waste, 69 million tons were recycled and 25 million tons were composted, amounting to a meager 32.1% recycling and composting rate.
Furthermore, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that only 10% of all plastic thrown in recycling bins over the last 40 years has actually been recycled. Some of this waste, however, comes from incorrect sorting on the part of the consumer. Because there are no universal rules for recycling – which is handled by individual counties and municipalities – the process is extremely complex and variable. While recycling is not the end-all-be-all of waste reduction, it is an important tool for keeping waste out of landfills.
It is always necessary to check your regional recycling rules, as the specifications for individual items vary widely. New York City even has a search tool to find common products and how they should be disposed of, and most counties will have this information on their website. …
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