An initiative of Keep America Beautiful, we celebrate America Recycles Day on November 15, 2023. Reducing and reusing materials are useful options to reduce waste, but not always possible. While many people care about recycling, it can be confusing about how to recycle properly. According to Keep America Beautiful, in the past year, Americans have recycled 1.8 million pounds of single-stream recycling, 157 thousand pounds of clothing/textiles, and 2.3 million pounds of mixed paper.
Benefits of recycling include reducing landfill waste and greenhouse gases and helping to preserve natural resources. Tips for effective recycling:
How to recycle
- Items put in the recycling bin should be empty, clean, and dry.
- Don’t just throw materials into a recycling bin. It is important to take the time to review what recycling efforts in your city or town are available and what materials they will or will not take. For example, in Richmond, Indiana residential curbside recycling is available, and they will take glass bottles and jars, #1 and #2 plastics, steel and bi-metal cans (food and pet food cans), and aluminum cans (beverage cans only). They also offer curbside cardboard recycling for corrugated cardboard. Companies like Rumpke offer services in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky for businesses and residences and also provide educational tours of their facilities.
- Sort your recycling, based on bin labels or other instructions. They may be divided in different ways, such as “cans and bottles” or “cardboard only.” Putting trash or mixed materials into these bins could contaminate the recyclables or hinder the process, meaning that most likely nothing in the bin gets recycled and it all goes into the landfill instead.
- Recycling plastic? Check the recycling symbol. Some recycling centers or services won’t recycle certain plastics. It all depends on their recycling code number.
- Do not bag your recyclables or throw plastic bags into recycling bins. Take your extra grocery bags back to the store for recycling. Most retailers have recycling bins at their entry points.
- Follow local recycling and environmental groups to learn when toxic waste removal and e-waste recycling events take place. Local places in Wayne County, IN to follow are:
- Don’t forget to “reduce” when possible. For example, you can limit the amount of paper you recycle by limiting the amount of catalogs and junk mail you get.
Support recycling efforts
- Reduce what you buy to begin with. Do you really need the item in question? Are there more eco-friendly options? Can you buy or trade second-hand?
- Choose reusable materials and services when available.
- Buy recycled or upcycled products. Many companies now make products with recycled materials.
- More items can be recycled than you realize, it just may involve a bit more work. Sign up with organizations, like Terracycle, that specialize in collecting and recycling items like Keurig coffee pods, cigarettes, health and beauty items (razors, mascara wands, toothbrushes), or office supplies.
- Volunteer! Join your local recycling coalition or get involved in environmentally friendly organizations. The IU East Campus has a Sustainability Council as well as the Animals and Earth Club at IU East for students. Many of these groups could use help when they put on big recycling events, such as an E-Waste disposal.
You can always find out more about recycling and sustainability with our Sustainability Resources at IU East guide. Besides being a home for local sustainability-related resources provided by our campus and community, it also lists academic resources provided by the Campus Library for those interested in furthering their research into recycling practices. If you have questions about this topic or need assistance in accessing our databases, Ask Us! iueref@iue.edu.