Most people don’t think much about what happens to their waste when they dump it in the trash or recycle it. But waste management and recycling operations in a bottle return depot and logistics include much more than just putting trash in the right bin.

I’ve compiled a summary of the critical recycling information you need to know. Discover the ins and outs of recycling in the US and the significance of continuing to sort your waste.

Recycling Conserves Water

It takes almost 7,000 gallons of water to make paper directly from trees. This water might be used to lessen the consequences of droughts rather than making paper. Additionally, using recycled paper can contribute to a reduction in the 900 million trees that are cut down each year to make our paper.

Curbside Recycling Allows For More Recycling Than You Might Realize

Many people are unaware of which household materials can be recycled and which cannot. For instance, even though aluminum cans can be recycled in your curbside recycling bin, most of the 80 billion cans used annually in America wind up in landfills. Additionally, while polystyrene foam is recyclable in some places, it is not in others. Contact your local city or town can find details on the products that your community allows.

Recycled Motor Oil Is An Option

A used engine will never wear out. It just becomes dirty and requires cleaning before it can be used again. Some auto shops will accept and recycle spent motor oil and automobile batteries. You can drop off your used motor oil at a collection location, or some municipalities accept properly packaged motor oil in curbside recycling.

Old Clothes Can Be Recycled Even If They Can’t Be Worn Again

Our landfills received over 10.5 million tonnes of garments last year. If you’re cleaning out your closet, consider donating gently used clothing to charities like Goodwill or the Salvation Army. If they cannot be worn again, consider donating them to a textile recycling company like American Textile Recycling Services. You can also search on Earth 911 or Recycle Now to identify local charities that accept donations of textiles. Some stores also take pre-owned clothing.

It Makes A Difference To Abandon Polystyrene (“Styrofoam”) Products

Americans use approximately 25 billion polystyrene cups annually (often known as Styrofoam). In all landfills worldwide, polystyrene occupies around 30% of the space. The substance also takes at least 500 years to break down in landfills. Recyclable cups and to-go containers would assist in reducing landfill space and lessen the impact of polystyrene on the environment.

One Trillion Single-Use Plastic Bags Are Used Every Year

Many municipalities do not accept these bags in curbside recycling programs because they can jam equipment. However, the majority of grocery stores offer bins for collecting these bags. When recycling plastic bags, make sure the plastic type is #2 or #4. If not, it’s unknown what kind of plastic resin it is and shouldn’t be recycled in these containers.

Although We Can Recycle 75% Of Our Waste, We Only Recycle Roughly 30% Of It

Learning what can and cannot be recycled is one method to start recycling more of our garbage. You can find information on what to do with certain products, your local recycling laws, the locations of collection bins, and bottle depot hours. Bottle return depots are motivated to make recycling easier for your neighborhood.

Conclusion

There is a lot of information on recycling, and whether you’re an individual or a household, it can be challenging to sift through it all and find a decent place to start. Getting to that 75% waste reduction target will require education and effort. A simple google search of ‘bottle depots near me’ can show you many bottle return depots.