<aside> <img src="https://prod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/687a667b-eb5c-467a-b120-f259cc732aff/11e49010-3229-43c7-a68d-a0aed2ea930b/1YSC_Watermark_YT.png" alt="https://prod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/687a667b-eb5c-467a-b120-f259cc732aff/11e49010-3229-43c7-a68d-a0aed2ea930b/1YSC_Watermark_YT.png" width="40px" /> Menu
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<aside> <img src="/icons/bookmark_green.svg" alt="/icons/bookmark_green.svg" width="40px" /> Contents
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<aside> <img src="/icons/book-closed_blue.svg" alt="/icons/book-closed_blue.svg" width="40px" /> Topics & Terminology
<aside> <img src="/icons/info-alternate_yellow.svg" alt="/icons/info-alternate_yellow.svg" width="40px" /> Resources
<aside> <img src="/icons/search_yellow.svg" alt="/icons/search_yellow.svg" width="40px" /> Recommended Tools
Model Recycling Toolkit - US EPA
Earth 911 - Recycling Center Search
SMART: Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles
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<aside> <img src="/icons/book_yellow.svg" alt="/icons/book_yellow.svg" width="40px" /> Recommended Reading
The Story of Stuff - Annie Leonard
Cradle to Cradle - William McDonough
How Do I Recycle Common Recyclables - US EPA
Recycling in the U.S. Is Broken. How Do We Fix It? - Columbia
What is Wish-Cycling and Why Does It Matter? – RecycleNation
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<aside> <img src="/icons/playback-play-button_yellow.svg" alt="/icons/playback-play-button_yellow.svg" width="40px" /> Recommended Watching
The Story of Stuff - Annie Leonard on YouTube
how our recycling system went from broken to shattered - Shelbizleee on Youtube
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<aside> <img src="/icons/playback-play-button_gray.svg" alt="/icons/playback-play-button_gray.svg" width="40px" /> Watch Along on Youtube
Reviewing & Recycling Products I Used in 2023: Would I Rebuy Them? | 1 Year Sustainability Challenge
Exploring My Local Recycling Options (in North Carolina, USA) | One Year Sustainability Challenge
Reflecting on January and the Reality of Recycling - One Year Sustainability Challenge
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<aside> <img src="/icons/backward_green.svg" alt="/icons/backward_green.svg" width="40px" /> Back to Introduction
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<aside> <img src="/icons/forward_green.svg" alt="/icons/forward_green.svg" width="40px" /> Forward to February
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For the first month of our challenge, we’re tackling the word that is probably most associated with sustainability**: Recycle**! This month we’ll learn about the modern recycling system in the United States, what materials are suitable for recycling, and how best to recycle your favorite products.
If you’re not already recycling and are able to, what better time to start than now? Check out the guides and resources below to learn what can be recycled and to find a recycling drop-off near you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSngKqAuDkI&ab_channel=LaurenJordan-1YSC
All definitions in this section have been pulled directly from Wikipedia - directly links to each term’s Wikipedia page can be found if you click on them!
Organic Matter/Materials refers to the Carbon-based materials from Animals and Plants. Examples of organic materials include Wool, Silk and Leather from animals and Cotton, Wood, Paper and Latex from plants.
Inorganic Matter/Materials includes all elements and compounds lacking the carbon-hydrogen bond. Generally speaking, this refers to non-living things like Water (H2O), Minerals like stone and metals, Glass (which is made from sand), as well as man-made Synthetics like Plastics.
Most items you recycle will be Inorganic Matter/Materials. Recycling of Organic Matter/Materials is generally done through Composting, but some organic materials like Paper can also be recycled.
Clothing and fabrics made from both organic and inorganic materials can be recycled through Textile Recycling Programs - check out SMART: Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles to find textile recycling in your area.
Most recycling centers accept Glass and Aluminum, and these materials are also infinitely recyclable!
To recycle other metals, you may need to search for dedicated Metal Recycling Programs through a search engine like Earth911. Ceramics & stone recycling programs are rare, but most ceramics will naturally break down into raw minerals over time.
Below are the seven primary recognized plastic types. While many recycling centers will accept the majority of plastic types, many still only accept a handful - generally #1 Plastic - Polyethylene (PET) and #2 Plastic - High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE). Grocery stores will also frequently accept #4 Plastic - Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) in the form of plastic bags. Always check with your local recycling center to confirm which plastic types they accept, and inspect each piece of plastic for its recycling number before putting it in the bin!
| Plastic Number & Name | Use Cases & Examples |
|---|---|
| #1 Plastic - Polyethylene (PET) (https://pantrypuzzle.notion.site/1-Plastic-Polyethylene-PET-58da5953e3984e97a8cccf8e9c2e64a3) | Food & beverage bottles and jars |
| Untitled (https://pantrypuzzle.notion.site/48c4339f085f4878b052af09b17a0fe8) fabrics | |
| #2 Plastic - High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) (https://pantrypuzzle.notion.site/2-Plastic-High-Density-Polyethylene-HDPE-dfbd05e89d464f6ebec244ef90d79270) | Milk cartons, food & beverage bottles |
| Toys & hard plastic objects | |
| Outdoor furniture | |
| Untitled (https://pantrypuzzle.notion.site/b71afd6f15b8469c8439a99b6d625a74) | Plumbing pipes |
| Toys (both human and pet) | |
| Tech & electrical applications | |
| Medical accessories | |
| Outdoor fixtures |
| | #4 Plastic - Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) (https://pantrypuzzle.notion.site/4-Plastic-Low-Density-Polyethylene-LDPE-014b0250f9e14d76b93de58e5331ece0) | Untitled (https://pantrypuzzle.notion.site/572da8baac1445158986085c3d5dad45) Bubblewrap Garbage & grocery bags | | Untitled (https://pantrypuzzle.notion.site/b9900cfab83b48bca9d26bf6bd2e952f) | Straws Medicine bottles Bottle caps Caps & lids for containers made of other plastic | | Untitled (https://pantrypuzzle.notion.site/4519de29851c4ae28542748af4c98339) | Egg cartons Takeout food containers Product packaging & shipping materials | | Untitled (https://pantrypuzzle.notion.site/07018affef3a49079f82a91271b60d61) | Everything else including Untitled (https://pantrypuzzle.notion.site/b5c5bcdb200143999f2db3e7d0b3535f) |
https://youtu.be/4s-T_Iq9jtI?si=R_iWgSUM4FyL7e3U
Until 2018, the US was exporting the majority of their recycling to China. In 2017 alone we exported 16 million tonnes of mixed recyclables. However, 30% of those materials had been contaminated with non-recyclable materials and ended up polluting China’s lands and seas. When China updated their sanitation requirements on the majority of imported plastics in 2018, the US was suddenly faced with a massive amount of our own waste that we were not equipped to process. Even before China’s ban, the US only managed to recycle small numbers of the total recyclable materials we process. These recycling statistics from 2017 - the same year we exported 16 million tonnes to China - are alarming:
