How to Recycle Effectively at a Bottle Depot: A Step-by-Step Guide

Recycling at Calgary bottle depot or wherever you live is now an established part of modern life. People that recycle often do so because they take pride in positively impacting the planet. However, the condition of your donations will affect the return on your investment. Aluminum, steel, paper, and plastic, all routinely recycled, are particularly vulnerable to contamination and, therefore, the landfill. We hope this updated guide to proper recycling will help you avoid wasting your time and effort.

Steps To Effectively Recycle At Bottle Depots

1.   Sort Plastic Bags From Other Recyclables

It’s essential to wash and separate plastics before recycling them during bottle depot hours. Separate plastics into their respective categories to guarantee efficient recycling. Find out what plastics can be recycled in your area by looking up the rules in Calgary bottle depot or your municipality. Plastic bags slow down the automatic recycling process. It’s preferable to recycle plastic bags independently rather than discarding them or having them contaminate your recycling load. Many grocery stores provide a plastic bag recycling container to collect and sort this difficult-to-recycle waste.

2.   Try To Avoid Paper Shredding

Shredded paper is often thrown away since it can’t be recycled. Shredded paper is now frequently recycled effectively at a bottle depot because of advancements in recycling facilities. When dealing with sensitive information or personal documents, shredding may be necessary. However, the goal of fitting more into a recycling bin should not be the primary motivation. Some recycling centres won’t take paper shreds that are too small, and the ones that do often have to compromise on the quality of the products they can make. The amount of paper recycled may also be affected if it is left outside in the weather.

3.   Compress Containers And Replace Caps

Getting rid of bottle caps has previously been suggested. It is because polypropylene is commonly used to make bottle caps. This polymer has a greater melting point than standard plastic bottles. Another factor was that at the beginning of recycling, uncompacted bottles with their lids on posed a safety risk. When an air-packed bottle is compressed, the cap is often propelled at great speed, posing a significant health risk. Since then, advances in recycling technology have made it safe to recycle with lids intact. It is now recommended that they be left on, as bottle caps brought in separately run the risk of being thrown away with the rest of the trash. Squeezing the air out of bottles before recycling them is an efficient practice.

4.   Separate Your Trash From Your Recyclables

Cardboard can be recycled, but grease can ruin it, making recycling impossible. Because of the risk of contamination, no food, drinks, or animal wastes should be placed in the recycling bin. Chips containers made of newspaper and most takeout boxes made of cardboard belong in the regular trash or the compost.

5.   Always Consult Your Community’s Recycling Guide

While this general guidance should be followed, it is important to note that each region has its own recycling guide, bottle depot hours and may accept products that others do not. It is highly recommended that you study your community’s recycling guide to avoid recycling anything that cannot be recycled or tainting usable materials.

Conclusion

Plastic recycling must be done well if we want a cleaner, more sustainable future. Avoid contaminating your recycling container by throwing away plastics that cannot be reused or recycled, such as plastic bags. It would help to drop them off at your neighbourhood grocery shop or a bottle depot. You can help improve the world by taking easy measures to reduce plastic usage.