Recycling wisely can save money, boost local economies and help protect the environment. Here are some steps you can take to get started:
Phone Books
Before the Internet’s introduction, phone books were integral to life in many homes. People relied on them to reach family, friends and neighbours and locate businesses in their vicinity if they weren’t already familiar with them.
Empty and dry bottles can be recycled at your local recycling depot; just be sure to remove any plastic wrap or bags before placing them in the recycling cart.
Coir mats are among the world’s most recycled paper products. They are made with eco-friendly materials, including soy ink and vegetable-based adhesives that biodegrade after being recycled into new directory papers or used to craft innovative eco-friendly products such as hydromulch and insulation.
Holiday Lights
If you want to dispose of old holiday lights properly, the best way is to bring them directly to a local recycling depot Adelaide in your area. These facilities have facilities specifically equipped to manage plastic, copper, glass and lead that comprise holiday light strings.
Environment-damaging materials should always be recycled instead of thrown away, and recycling lights are no different. There are various options, including mail-in recycling options, retail drop-off locations and municipal waste collection sites offering recycling programs dedicated to Christmas lights.
Take your lights to an approved recycling facility to ensure they are adequately recycled and reclaimed; however, note that specific recycling centres won’t accept damaged or tangled lights due to possible safety concerns for their workers.
Give away unwanted lights to a local non-profit that will reuse them instead. Many organisations host designated days when they accept donations of working and nonworking holiday lights for reuse; therefore, checking with your charity before discarding old strands would be prudent.
Clothing and Shoes
Clothing and shoes are everyday waste items in local landfills but can easily be recycled at a local recycling depot Adelaide. In addition, you’ll likely find bins conveniently placed at gas stations, convenience stores and shopping centres, so they’re easy to locate.
Reducing landfill waste helps protect natural resources such as trees and animals while decreasing energy and water usage.
If you don’t feel ready to throw away your unwanted clothing and shoes, consider donating them to an organisation that distributes them directly to those in need. Your donation will have another life as small-business owners in developing countries benefit from them.
Donations of items in good condition that do not have stains or tears benefit charities and can simplify the sorting process for their staff. In addition, separating clothes by type can simplify sorting for the charity receiving them.
Dress for Success supports women entering the workforce and searching for work-appropriate footwear in sizes nine or above.
Nike’s Reuse-a-Shoe program accepts old athletic sneakers free of charge for recycling into material that can be used for gym floors, basketball courts and playgrounds.
Send your local shoes to The Remix Project. They’ll transform them into rubberised athletic tracks and playground surfaces while recycling old Teva sandals into material suitable for playgrounds or carpet backing.
Electronics
Electronics are devices that utilise electricity for various functions. You’ll find them almost everywhere in modern life, from computers to cell phones.
Electronic waste can harm the environment and should be appropriately disposed of. Luckily, most electronics are recyclable and can be returned to a recycling depot nearby.
Earth 911 offers an online community recycling directory where you can search by ZIP code to locate private recycling firms that accept electronics for free pickup services in your area. To find such services near you, enter your ZIP code here.
While specific electronic waste can be recycled in your area, other forms must be sent directly to landfills or waste-to-energy facilities for safe disposal due to containing toxic elements like lead, cadmium and mercury that must first be eliminated before safe disposal can take place.
Recycling rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries containing nickel and copper offers many recycling opportunities, with most retail outlets having specific programs dedicated to this waste type.
Apple, Dell, HP, Samsung and Sony offer rewards programs to encourage recycling old electronic items. In addition, most programs provide store credit in return for printer cartridges, cell phones and computer cartridges. However, it’s wise to consult each company’s website to ascertain if specific recycling policies are in place.