The Ultimate Guide To Recycling

The recycling process is an important part of managing our environment. By recycling, you can help reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfills and increase the chances of recovering materials that could be used again. However, there are a lot of different ways that you can recycle, and the process can be complicated. If you're looking for the easiest way to start recycling, keep reading for an overview of some of the best ways to recycle various items.

Recycling standard household materials

What can and can’t be recycled

The first step in recycling household materials is to find out exactly what can be recycled. You can use Recycle Now’s search tool to discover what can be recycled in your area.  

Use a suitable recycling bin/store

Recycling can become a habit if you have a designated recycle bin or storage solution. For some, it can be as easy as taking your recycling straight outside to their recycle bin but sometimes it’s easier to have a recycle bin in your home that you can top up and take out when it’s full. The easier you make the recycling process, the more likely you are to do it and stick to it and turn it into an everyday habit.

Things you might not know can be recycled

People don’t realise that there’s plenty of items around your home that can be recycled including:

• Shower gel bottles
• Bathroom cleaners (without the trigger spray)
• Bleach bottle
• Deodorant, hairspray, air freshner aerosols
• Moisturiser pots, jars and tubes
• Kitchen foil
• Washing up liquid bottles

Recycling food waste

Non-recycled food waste will be sent to landfill where it rots and causes big problems for our environment by releasing methane. Often when we hear about climate change it’s carbon dioxide that gets the worst reputation, but methane is actually 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. On the other hand, food waste that is recycled can be converted into agricultural fertilisers or it can be converted into natural forms of energy which are much better for the planet than fossil fuels.

Most local councils will provide a food waste caddy to collect your waste in. Alternatively, you can compost your waste. Composting is cheap and can transform your kitchen and garden waste into a very useful material for your garden. 

Recycling old technology and gadgets

We’ve probably all got some sort of old technology lying around our homes. Whether it’s an old mobile phone, laptop or e-reader, these can all be recycled and in some cases you can even earn a bit of cash for them too. For mobile phones check out CompareMyMobile.com for the best prices and for other gadgets try Music Magpie and CeX. 

If you’re tech is really old then it might not be worth anything but you can still recycle it responsibility at your local recycling centre. Or if you have tech that you just don’t use but is in working order then you could donate it to a charity shop.

Recycling clothes

When it comes to recycling clothes, the first thing to consider should be whether these items can be sold (via online marketplaces like Vinted or Depop) or donated to charity shops. You can see it as a nice way to make some extra money by selling your clothes to someone who can give them a new lease of life. Or, if you want to do your bit to help your local charity shops then they will always appreciate donations of clothes in good condition.

If you have items of clothing that are no longer in a good enough condition to sell or donate then you could turn them into cleaning cloths to use around your home. 

Remember: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Our core message is always Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Recycling is something we should all try and do as much as possible but it is also important to consider what we are buying in the first place. By reducing the amount we buy and reducing the amount of single-use items that we purchase then we can reduce our recycling output too. Also, consider what items we can reuse to get the most out of them, so again they’re not just heading straight for the recycle bin.

Old tin cans could be used as pen and pencil pot holders or even plant pots. Plastic ice cream or butter tubs could be used for storing batches of homemade foods and soups. Or you can reuse all sorts of items for kids craft sessions. 

Conclusion

We hope you find this recycling guide useful and maybe it’s helped you discover more items that you can recycle around your home. You might even be able to make some cash from some of those items too, so it’s a win-win!