Helpful hints for recycling at home

Recycling programs are widely available and represent a great way to have a positive environmental impact. While guidelines may vary across communities, here are some handy tips on how to sort your recyclables.

It is very important to sort your recyclables before setting them out for collection. If non-recyclable items are mixed with recyclable ones, the entire batch may become useless. For example, just one piece of a ceramic cup can make a bag of glass unusable.

• Plastic (PET) bottles come in seven different types, numbered 1 to 7. Each municipality takes a different combination of types, so you should find out which ones your municipality accepts.
• Take the caps off all bottles.
• Rinse out bottles, jars, cans and milk cartons.
• Separate rubber bands and plastic wrap from paper.
• Remove the plastic cap and nozzle from steel aerosol cans, but do not attempt to crush them.
• Some municipalities require you to remove the plastic window from window envelopes before recycling.
• Do not put recyclables in plastic bags.

• Glass jars and bottles (remove lids)
• Paper, including newspapers, magazines, envelopes, computer paper, paper packaging and cardboard
• Steel jam jar lids
• Metal bottle tops
• Aluminum cans
• Milk and fruit juice cartons, also called Tetra Paks (not accepted by all municipalities)
• PET plastics (check which types your municipality accepts; remove lids)
• Green waste (in municipalities with "wet" programs)
• Plastic bags (some supermarkets provide bins to collect and reuse these)
• Aerosol cans (not accepted by all municipalities)
• Egg cartons

• Oven-proof, window or mirror glass
• Food wrappers
• Facial tissues
• Polystyrene food or beverage containers
• Wax-coated cardboard
• Cellophane and foil gift wrap
• Plastic-covered paper
• Drinking glasses
• Light bulbs
• Ceramics

If you move to a new city or town, be sure to contact the local authority to find out about the recycling program and specific guidelines in your new community.