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Whether you work from home or at an office, knowing the correct disposal of common office supplies can help you maintain sustainable practices.

Check out our suggestions for office waste and learn how to help reduce it.

Printer paper

Printer paper is widely accepted for recycling. Plain paper is easily recycled through most recycling programs, whether you have a curbside pick-up or drop-off. Some municipalities may require you to separate out paper for a dual-stream collection system so that paper does not get wet or greasy by mixing with other recyclables.

Plain print or copy paper for your work may contain sensitive information which requires shredding. Each municipality tends to have very specific disposal procedures for shredded paper due to the size of the remnants. In general, items smaller than a credit card should not go in your regular recycling because they are too small to sort correctly. Shredded paper falls into this too small to sort situation, but that does not mean it cannot be recycled! Make sure to look up specific collection or drop-off information for shredded paper in your area.

??Waste Reduction Tip: When only printing or copying on one side, keep paper that is still blank on one side in a pile near your desk to use as scrap paper.

Paper containing staples

So what about paper that has staples? You can rip them out if you'd like, but it's not necessary. These tiny pieces of metal are easily removed during the recycling process with magnets or skimmed out when the paper is turned into a slurry.

?? Waste Reduction Tip: Avoid staples altogether by using a stapleless stapler that fastens sheets of paper together by crimping and puncturing them. If you use a lot of staples, think of how much metal you'll avoid using!

Windowed envelopes

We've covered plain paper, but what about envelopes that have adhesives? Or envelopes that have clear plastic windows? Nothing to worry about here either! The adhesives in these envelopes are not a problem during the recycling process. Likewise, the transparent plastic windows are small enough to easily avoid contaminating the paper mix.

?? Waste Reduction Tip: Go digital with correspondence and opt for paperless options when dealing with things like bills.

Junk mail

Junk Mail comes in so many forms: some are easily identifiable as regular copy paper, or even thicker cardstock paper that can be recycled, but what about glossy paper advertisements? Most of these are ok to add to your paper recycling as they tear easily. If they don't tear easily or have a plastic lining, they likely belong in the garbage instead. When in doubt, check with your local municipality's specific guidelines for glossy papers.

If you receive advertisements and coupons printed in a newspaper, these are also accepted tossing in your recycling bin.

?? Waste Reduction Tip: Opt-out of advertisements at your local post office to avoid adding to your home or office waste.

Adhesive tapes

Adhesive tapes are not accepted for recycling at most locations. If insignificant amounts of adhesive tape are on a piece of paper or cardboard box, that is not a problem, but it is best to remove large amounts of tape when it is easy to do so to ensure your recyclables are not contaminated.

Plastic disposable tape dispensers and tape rolls are not always accepted for recycling due to their size and the type of plastic they are made from. Check with your local municipality to see if they accept these items.

?? Waste Reduction Tip: Use brown paper tape which pairs adhesives with a paper backing instead of traditional plastic. This may not work for documents, but it is ideal for taping up cardboard boxes and packaging.

Sticky notes

While there is a small amount of adhesive, sticky notes are typically accepted for recycling, no matter the color. They also are just a bit larger than a credit card, so the size is not an issue.

?? Waste Reduction Tip: There are many apps to keep notes on your phone or computer so that you don't need to use paper.

Understanding the proper disposal methods for common office supplies is crucial for maintaining sustainable practices at home or in the office. It's always important to look up the specific requirements for recycling in your municipality before guessing what is and is not accepted!

Disposing of bulky items is a problem everyone faces from time to time.

One of the most challenging items involves a good night's sleep and where you spend a good chunk of time: your mattress!

Keep reading to learn what to do with one that's ready to be replaced.

Donate

Putting circularity first means trying to keep your mattresses out of the landfill for as long as possible. Donating is one way to help give them a second life, though many locations don't accept mattresses due to the risk of bedbug infestations.

Check with friends and family to see if they need an extra mattress before you toss it, or call around to shelters, charities, donation centers, or furniture banks to ask about their rules.

Sell

If your mattress is still in good condition, head on over to your online marketplace of choice, or plan to make it part of your next yard sale. Even if you list it for free, you would still be doing the environment a favor and keeping it out of the landfill.

Refurbish

Mattresses aren't often an item we think of when considering refurbishing furniture, but there is at least a possibility of improving your sleep quality by adding a pillowtop or mattress pad instead of getting rid of it.

If you have a spring mattress that needs repair, check with a local upholstery service or mattress store to see what's possible.

Recycle

Recycling is not the common disposal method for such a bulky item, but it is worth a quick search to see if there are any programs in your area.

Upcycle

Repurposing a mattress may be a large feat to take on, but if you are up for a challenge, see if you can use some of the foam or filling to stuff pillows. You might be able to remove the metal coils to use for some crafty gardening art, or at least bring them into a scrap metal yard.

(Make sure you know what's actually inside of your mattress before you start cutting into it! Many memory foam mattress contain fiberglass material as a fire retardant, which can be dangerous if inhaled. Older mattresses are unlikely to have this material, but it's always safest to check the tag before you cut into one.)

Garbage

The most likely disposal your city or town requires is to put these out for garbage, but with an item this large, it's not always a straightforward process. Most municipalities have very specific bulk item pick-up requirements, which may include payment for pick-up, scheduling pick-ups, or specific curbside pick-up days.

They may even have special requirements for mattresses specifically, again due to the risk of bed bugs. Make sure to check with your local rules about what the procedure is for mattresses.

Junk Removal

If no pick-up or drop-off is available to you, you may have to hire a private junk hauler to remove the mattress. This is an ideal disposal choice if you are unable to get the mattress to the curb for your city's bulky pick-up requirements because most junk removal services will even remove the items from inside your house upon request.

Look it up

When it comes to disposing mattresses, you have many options to try and forego the landfill! Make sure to look up how to dispose of mattresses in your city or town.

Metals are super important for recycling, but not all of them belong in your bin. They don't break down quickly, making them valuable resources. Unfortunately, many metal items end up in the garbage, which means we're losing out on things we could recycle. Some metals need special handling, so always check what your local recycling program accepts.

Let's dive into some common metal items you might need to recycle!

Aluminum cans

Aluminum cans are the most recycled consumer product worldwide! They can be recycled forever without losing quality. Did you know that around 75% of all aluminum ever made is still in use? Plus, recycling aluminum saves 90% of the energy needed to make new cans from raw materials.

When cans end up in landfills, it takes about 200 years for them to biodegrade, and we've wasted over 11 million tons in the past two decades alone.

Some places offer can deposits where you can return your aluminum cans for a small refund. And remember, don't crush your cans anymore; it makes it harder for sorting machines to do their job.

Tin cans

Think of all those metal soup cans you can recycle those too! Just be sure they're empty and rinsed out before tossing them in your recycling bin. Keep the metal lid inside the can to ensure it gets sorted correctly.

Cookie and cake tins

When looking to get rid of an old decorative in, make sure to wipe out any crumbs before adding them to your bin. But before you decide to toss, why not try to reuse them for storing items? They make great containers for sewing supplies.

Metal bottle caps

Metal bottle caps (both aluminum and steel) are recyclable, but they can be tricky because they're so small and often fall through sorting machines. To recycle them properly, group them by metal type: use a magnet to check if they're steel (if they stick) or aluminum (if they don't).

Fill a can halfway with caps, crimp it closed, and place it in your recycling bin. Some stores have take-back programs for caps, so check with your local retailers.

Pots and pans

Unfortunately, pots and pans can't be recycled through regular programs. Check with local scrap metal facilities, as they often accept these items. Alternatively, consider donating them if they're still usable, or even upcycling them into planters.

Metal coat hangers

Most recycling facilities don't accept metal coat hangers because they can tangle in the machinery. Check with local scrap metal facilities, or consider donating them if they're in decent shape.

Sustainable metal disposal

These are just a few common metal items you might need to recycle. If you have larger metal items, check with your local program first. Keeping metals out of landfills helps preserve our natural resources. Let's keep metals in circulation and find sustainable ways to recycle them!

As industries look to produce products and packaging that contain certain percentages of recycled materials, your average water or beverage container has become the most viable plastic product on the market for recycling. But what about the cap?

Material recovery

Plastic bottle caps for beverages, or any other plastic containers, are typically made from a different type of plastic than the bottle itself. The caps on these containers are usually made from high-density polyethylene or polypropylene. For this reason, years ago, plastic recycling required you to remove caps to reduce contamination by keeping plastic types separate.

Sorting small items

Small items such as bottle caps are not accepted at most recycling facilities due to their size, so these plastic bottle caps were being lost in the trash with no hopes of material recovery. A good standard to sort by is that items smaller than a credit card should not go in your recycling bin. This is because most sorting machinery cannot identify or sort small items, so they end up discarded or, even worse, sent into the wrong batch of material.

Plastic pollution

With nearly 600 million plastic bottles and containers produced in a year, this could lead to innumerable plastic caps ending up in landfills, or worse, contributing to plastic pollution. A 2016 analysis of coastal plastic pollution by the North Sea Foundation found that plastic bottle caps are one of the top five littered items on beaches around the world.

The need for change

As the need for reducing plastic pollution grew and additional methods for recycling more plastics developed, the industry standard began to change. Now most recycling facilities in North America ask that caps are left on bottles and containers to collect the caps in an efficient manner.

There are a few reasons why these two different materials being kept together is no longer a problem. First, some sorting facilities will shred the plastic into small pieces. Then, while submerged in water, the PET will sink and the HDPE or polypropylene cap pieces will float, allowing it to be skimmed off the top and separated.

PET and HDPE or polypropylene also have different melting points, so the caps would melt away from the PET bottles before reaching their melting point, allowing the materials to separate naturally.

The Association of Plastic Recyclers has also determined that the marketability of plastic bales of bottles with caps on does not decrease the recyclability of either type of plastic and is helping to make it easier for residents to recycle both items if they are kept together.

Not every facility has changed their procedures and requirements for recycling yet. It is always important to check with your local facility to find out what their recycling requirements are regarding keeping caps on or off.

What about metal caps?

Some plastic bottles have caps with metal in them. What should you do with those? Unfortunately, these should not be kept on bottles because the metal will not sort out in the same way as plastic bottle caps. The metal will sink with the PET fragments and end up contaminating the entire plastic bale. Remove these metal caps and place them in the garbage, even if they have plastic on them as well.

You can always check with your local recycling facility to see if they have any alternative collection program for small metal caps such as these. There is a chance there could be a drop-off method, but if not, these are doomed to the landfill.

Keeping up with changes

The current standard is to keep your plastic bottle caps on beverage bottles and other plastic containers that are accepted for recycling in your area, but make sure your facility has updated this requirement before changing your ways. Even though there are constant advancements in recycling technologies, you need to follow the requirements of your specific recycling facility based on what machinery and methods they currently have.

It's always good to keep up with what new procedures your facility has established and if any additional materials are being added to the accepted list. Recycling procedures are not set in stone and vary greatly from location to location, so make sure you look up whatever items you are trying to recycle so that you help keep your program running efficiently and effectively.

Proper disposal of common household items is essential for protecting our environment and public health. Household hazardous waste (HHW) programs play a crucial role in safely managing dangerous substances, preventing pollution, and reducing health risks. Let's explore how to properly dispose of some common household items that require extra precautions for safe disposal.

Metal paint cans

If you've got leftover paint in a can, see if anyone might want it for small projects before tossing it out. Using up the paint is the best option! If you can't find a taker, take the can (with any leftover paint) to your local HHW drop-off.

Most paint cans are metal and can be recycled if they're clean and dry. Check with your recycling facility first!

To prepare an empty can for recycling, remove dried paint. For water-based paint, scrape or peel the dried stuff off. If that doesn't work, soak it in soapy water for about an hour and scrub it out. For oil-based paint, soak the inside of the can in mineral spirits, roll it every 15 minutes, then wipe out the loosened paint. Add some dish soap to cut through the oil, and you might need to repeat this a couple of times before rinsing it clean.

Pressurized tanks

Aerosol cans, propane tanks, butane canisters, and oxygen or helium tanks can be super dangerous if tossed in regular garbage or recycling. The risk of explosion is real if these tanks get crushed or compacted during transport!

Due to their flammable materials, pressurized tanks generally require safe disposal at HHW facilities. Some areas may allow empty aerosol cans for recycling, but be sure to check with your local center and follow their guidelines for proper emptying.

Some tanks, like oxygen or propane ones, might have refill or replacement options available, so check out what's in your area!

Motor oil and automotive fluids

When it comes to disposing of lubricating oils like engine oil, transmission fluid, or brake fluid, you'll want to take them to a designated hazardous waste facility. These centers are equipped to handle hazardous automotive materials safely.

Keep these fluids in their original containers if possible, as the labels help facility staff identify them. If you don't have the originals, clearly label any new containers. Tightly cap all containers to prevent leaks during transport.

Cleaning chemicals and containers

Just like automotive fluids, cleaning chemicals should be clearly labeled and taken to HHW facilities. Some cleaning solutions are non-hazardous (think basic soap), but if a label has a warning, it's better to be safe and dispose of it properly.

Even if the containers are plastic, glass, or metal, if they held hazardous chemicals, they belong at a hazardous waste facility.

Fertilizers and pesticides

Fertilizers and pesticides are packed with synthetic chemicals that can pose risks to human health, so they should only be disposed of at HHW facilities. Tossing these in the trash can contaminate recycling and put waste workers at risk, not to mention the potential for groundwater contamination or air pollution!

Medications

While medications typically don't need to be dropped off at HHW sites, they do require safe disposal. Most pharmacies can guide you on how to return qualified medications so trained professionals can dispose of them properly. Your pharmacist can also tell you if some medications can be flushed or tossed in the trash.

Check with your local recycling facility about accepting plastic pill bottles. Acceptance can vary by location, so it's always good to ask!

By following these guidelines and utilizing available resources, we can ensure that hazardous materials are managed responsibly, contributing to a cleaner and safer environment for everyone.

When election season finally comes to an end, the last thing most people are thinking about is how to properly dispose of their political yard signs, but it's an important aspect you should be considering! Let us help you navigate practical uses for those signs once you're done with them.

Follow the bylaws

Every election cycle, a plethora of plastic signs pop up all around our cities, towns, and neighborhoods. When putting these signs up, you often need to consider municipal bylaws and regulations regarding where to post them and what can be posted. Did you realize many municipalities also have requirements for how long you can keep these signs posted in your lawn too? Each city and town has its own requirements to remove election signs, but it's likely within a few days after the election.

Are they recyclable?

The big question is: are they recyclable? Yes and no. The typical election sign is made of corrugated plastic, or Coroplast, with a metal H-shaped piece to stake into the ground. While it seems like both items should be recyclable, they are not accepted for the vast majority of curbside collection programs. However, some municipalities may offer recycling drop-off options for these items, as well as some campaign offices.

Upcycle ideas

If there is no special collection or recycling program that accepts these in your area, it's a good idea to find other ways to keep them out of the landfill. These are essentially durable posters that could be reused in other ways. Here are some easy reuse ideas to try:

• Paint over it to make a decorative sign. This could be an easy way to even just make a yard sale sign. If paint is too messy, you can just tape your printed sign on top.
• Cut out holes in a grid pattern to turn them into garden trellises for your tomatoes, beans, etc.
• Use chalkboard paint and put it in a frame to make a DIY chalkboard for your home.
• Cut and trim strips to fit inside your drawers, then duct tape together to create easy drawer dividers.
• Fold and tape the signs to make your own storage bins for organization.
• Cut them to fit a reusable bag to make a sturdy bottom.

This versatile material is durable and easy to cut, making it an ideal item for reuse. You can cut it and tape it to any type of container or decoration you need. Get creative and reduce your waste at the same time!

Useful reuse

Another way to keep these items from the landfill is to donate them to organizations that may be able to reuse them. Schools may be able to use them for craft materials, or community centers may be able to reuse them to advertise local events and programs. Even artists may be interested in using the materials for something. You can post on social media or neighborhood groups that you have election signs to give away.

Check locally

As always, you should check with your local program to see if there are any special programs or specific instructions for recycling or disposal of election signs before tossing them, or find a good way to reuse or upcycle these items whenever there is no collection possible.

Have you ever been confused about what kind of glass is recyclable?

Maybe you assumed all glass is accepted for recycling since glass is glass. Well, that's not quite the case.

There are many different types of glass, some of which are accepted for recycling and some that are not. Let's navigate through the world of glass recycling to help you stay sustainable.

What is accepted?

Glass beverage bottles and glass jars are the top glass recycled items, and most recycling programs in North America accept them. (Remember to remove lids since they are typically made from metal or plastic, and to discard anything smaller than the size of a credit card since it will be too small to sort!)

This type of glass is infinitely recyclable since it can be broken down into small grain-size pieces called cullet, which can be used to help reduce the need for newly sourced natural resources like sand, sodium carbonate, and limestone.

Occasionally, some programs may not accept any glass due to the lack of end-market buyers for the recycled material. This is most common in rural areas, so be sure to always look up items to be sure!

How is glass collected?

The most common collection method for glass bottles and jars across North America is through single-stream curbside collection. This does pose a higher risk for contamination and issues with sorting, leading to lower collection and recycling rates than other collection methods, but it keeps recycling costs down and makes it easier for residents to confidently recycle properly.

Some municipalities use a dual-stream collection method where glass is picked up separately or with only a few other materials, like metals or plastics, to keep them separate from paper products, reducing contamination.

Another popular method of collecting glass bottles and jars for recycling is a bottle return program. Some municipalities have deposit return schemes in place for collecting glass bottles for recycling. This method significantly increases the amount of recovered glass materials for recycling since approximately 98% of glass bottles are returned in these locations compared to the US national average of 33%.

No matter which collection method your municipality uses, it is always important to return your glass bottles and jars for recycling empty and clean. There should be no food or liquid residue to make sure the recycling process is kept running smoothly and the risk of contamination is at a minimum.

What is not recyclable?

Most other glass items are not accepted due to the difference in melting points for glass that has undergone other production processes for durability, although new advancements in recycling technologies are happening rapidly and you should check with your municipality to see if they have any specialized programs.

Non-recyclable glass:

• Window panes
• Mirrors
• Baking dishes
• Drinking glasses
• Vases
• Eyeglasses
• Fishbowls and aquariums
• Glass shelves
• Glass tabletops
• Automotive glass (e.g. windshields)
• Light bulbs (likely accepted in household hazardous waste programs!)

Many of these items can be brought to local donation centers if they are not broken. The most sustainable option for these non-recyclable items is always to consider reuse or donation over disposal!

What about broken glass?

Broken glass is not accepted in most locations. Although broken glass bottles and jars are still technically recyclable and are broken down once sorted, most locations won't accept them as it puts recycling workers at risk of injury.

For broken glass, the general rule is that it should be disposed of in the garbage, but you should collect it into something protective, such as a small box, or wrapped in paper towels or placed in a bag. Remember: the goal is to keep your garbage collectors safe from injury by containing the glass, so it doesn't become a hazard.

Check your local requirements

Since there are many possible collection methods for glass items, it's important to check with your local recycling facility for their requirements. This will help keep your recycling free from contamination and your recycling programs running smoothly.

Gift-giving is a joyous way to spread love and cheer. But it can also bring an abundance of wasted materials; some of which are recyclable, and some of which aren't. It is always important to check your local recycling guidelines before tossing something in the bin, but this guide can give you a head start on recycling gift-giving materials correctly or finding a sustainable alternative to avoid waste altogether.

Wrapping paper

Wrapping paper is sometimes accepted and sometimes not, depending on your program and the type of wrapping paper being discarded. Most locations will accept wrapping paper that is made from 100% paper, but many varieties have shiny coatings, plastic lining, or glitter that leave them incompatible with recycling processes.

Swap the wrapping paper for:

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• Fabrics such as scarves, handkerchiefs, or cloth napkins.
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• Newspapers, maps, or brown kraft paper for a rustic and charming look.
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• Wrapping already made from recycled paper.

Gift bags

Gift bags have a similar set-back as wrapping paper. They are recyclable if they are made from 100% paper, but most aren't. Gift bags are almost always embellished with bows, glitter, or glossy coatings that are not great for recycling. Some locations may have equipment to deal with these aspects, so it's always best to look up what your specific location accepts.

Ditch the new gift bag for:

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• Decorative reusable shopping bags.
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• Tote bags or baskets.
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• Reuse an old favorite that is in good condition.

Tissue paper

While tissue paper may seem like regular paper, just thinner, it's not suitable for recycling. Some soft paper products such as decorative tissue paper, paper towels, napkins, and facial tissues are made with very small fibers that have been broken down too small to be used again in the paper recycling process.

Skip the paper in place of:

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• If you need to fill space in a gift box or bag, use a scarf, tea towel, or any other reusable fabric that can keep fragile items safe.
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• Shredded gift wrap from received gifts.
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• Magazine pages.

Greeting cards

Most greeting cards are easily recyclable but watch out for overly decorative ones that add music or plastic decorations. If you have any with glitter, plastic, or other non-paper materials, check with your local recycling program before adding them to the bin. When in doubt, it's best to toss these in the garbage to avoid contamination in your recycling.

Cards that make sounds are not recyclable because they have a battery and other electrical elements in them. If you can remove these pieces, you can recycle the parts of the card that are 100% paper.

Express your message with:

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• E-Cards or other digital forms of communication.
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• Reuse a gift card you've received by cutting off the back and using the front like a postcard.
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• Cut shapes out of the front of the card and hang them on your Christmas tree as decorative ornaments.

Ribbons and bows

Ribbons and bows are not accepted for recycling at most recycling centers. They are generally made of plastics or fabric. Ribbons can easily get tangled in recycling machinery since they are long, flexible strips. Some bows also use small wires to keep them in place to look fuller and poofy.

Instead of plastic bows, opt for:

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• Options made from natural materials like jute, hemp, or cotton.
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• Give a bit of a flourish with dried flowers, pinecones, or evergreen sprigs. These materials are not only eco-friendly but also add a rustic and organic feel to your gift wrapping.
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• There are a few compostable bows and ribbons on the market now to use instead of plastic or fabric ones. Just be sure to let the gift recipient know they can compost these items instead of putting them in their trash.

Conclusion

Showing your love through gift-giving can be rewarding, especially if you are incorporating sustainable gift-wrapping alternatives. By choosing eco-friendly materials, you are reducing waste and helping protect the environment, all while celebrating your special occasions with friends and family. Always look up the recyclability of materials in your local program and choose environmentally friendly options when possible.