Recycling Resources

As a professional organizer I'm all about encouraging people to part with stuff they no longer want, need, or use. As a person, however, I'm an advocate for keeping as much stuff as possible out of landfills. That means looking for alternatives to simply throwing things away. On my Donate Your Stuff pages you'll find tons of information and links for donating everything from books to Barbie dolls to bicycles. Another great option for conscientiously disposing of stuff is recycling.

Most people are aware of the fact that certain everyday materials such as glass, paper, and plastic can and should be recycled, but did you know that dozens, if not hundreds, of other materials can be recycled as well? It's true! Check out the recycling resources listed below for information on how to dispose of just about anything safely and responsibly.

Why Recycling Matters

Hundreds of millions of tons of trash accumulates every year in the United States alone. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 75% of the waste in America is recyclable, but we currently only recycle about 30%. We can do better, and it's so easy! Check out these great links explaining the basics of recycling.

Flow Meters Manufacturers explain the why and how of recycling in an interesting article that looks at the benefits and challenges associated with recycling. Be sure to watch the short videos embedded in the article for more information.
The Hub Post's article Recycling 101: How & Why You Should Recycle offers a wealth of information on, well, how and why you should recycle.
A Comprehensive Recycling Guide is just that. Learn not only how and why you should recycle but other things you can do to help with the recycling effort as well.
11 Facts About Recycling is a fun and interesting look at recycling statistics.
In addition to underscoring the benefits of recycling (which are many) Top 20 Home Recycling Tips offers some great information on how you can contribute to the recycling effort at home.

What Can Be Recycled?

Personal Creations has created a list of over 200 items that can be recycled in some way. In some cases what they are really advocating is reusing, but that is great as well. Anything that keeps reusable stuff out of the trash is a bonus. One of the things you'll notice as you scan the list is that many manufacturers have programs in place for taking back used products and recycling them. Look for links within the article.

What Can (and Can't) Be Recycled Curbside

While the list of items that can be recycled in some fashion is much longer than most people realize, the number of things that can be recycled curbside is much smaller. There are a variety of reasons for this, all explained in this simple, interactive article on What's recyclable, what becomes trash - and why. It is worth the five minutes it takes to read. My husband is constantly asking me "Is this recyclable?" After reading this, I have learned that I have been too generous in my interpretation of what can be tossed in the household recycle bin.

General Recycling Resources

Earth911

At Earth911 you'll find all kinds of interesting information relating to recycling and other eco-friendly topics. Of particular interest are the links on their homepage for How to Recycle and What to Recycle.

Green Disk

When it comes to recycling electronics, Green Disk is a great place to start. They specialize in recycling outdated electronics, including difficult to recycle items like VHS tapes. They do charge for the service - $11.99 to recycle up to 25 lbs. of stuff if you're mailing it to them (you pay shipping). There is an additional charge of $0.45 for each additional pound.

Recycle Finder

Put in your zip code, a mileage radius, and the type of material you're disposing of, and Recycle Finder will show you where to recycle your items.

Recycle Spot

This website offers all sorts of information on disposing of everything from food waste to hazardous waste. Like Recycle Finder, it offers a map feature that allows you to locate recycling centers for all sorts of materials by entering your zip code and other key information.

Terracycle

Terracycle offers a wide variety of free recycling options funded by companies that care about the environment. In addition, they offer paid recycling for hard to recycle items or items on a larger scale.

How to Get Rid of Practically Anything

Consumer Reports offers an extensive list of How to Get Rid of Practically Anything from kids' stuff to clothing to car parts and much more. While not strictly a recycling resource, this is a page well worth visiting if you are someone who cares about keeping unnecessary stuff out of landfills, repurposing items that still have some life left in them, and giving useful things to good causes. In addition to recycling options, you'll find donation resources as well.

HomeAdvisor's How to Safely Get Rid of 50 Household Items is another good general recycling resource.

Specific Recycling Resources

Recycling Clothing

While almost all clothing is recyclable, very little actually makes it to a recycling center. In part, this is due to the fact that most people aren't aware that their clothing can be recycled. In addition, the number of recycling centers that are set up to accept and process clothing are limited. That said, there are options out there which are definitely worth exploring, especially when you consider that approximately 13 million tons of clothing ends up in landfills in the United States each year.

I want to thank Girl Scout Katie (who is working on the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Patch), and her mom Michelle for sharing this resource with me. It explains a variety of earth-friendly options for disposing of or repurposing used clothing. It also provides a variety of links to other resources, all of which I found informative.

Recycle Nail Polish and Cosmetics

Most of us have purchased a shade of nail polish only to discover that we don't like it as much as we thought we would. Or maybe we've just outgrown a particular shade. Whatever the case, we often hang onto such things because we feel guilty just tossing them out. As an organizer I want to encourage you to part with things you no longer use, but as a lover of the environment I want you to know that nail polish is considered hazardous waste and as such should not be thrown in the trash. For more environmentally friendly means of disposing of your unused nail polish check out these posts from Recycle Nation and wikiHow. Between them they offer numerous suggestions for repurposing nail polish.

As with nail polish, we sometimes end up with cosmetics that we no longer love and therefore never use. Read about ways to donate your unused or gently used cosmetics in this article from Allure. Note that opened lipstick and mascara cannot be donated.

Recycling Appliances

Aside from furniture household appliances are the bulkiest items that exist within most homes. As is true of all electronics, appliances have a life span, and it's often not as long as homeowners would like it to be. Knowing what to do with appliances once they've outlived their usefulness can be challenging. Click on the link below to learn both the why and the how of recycling household appliances.

Recycling Appliances Guide

Recycling Mattresses

Mattress companies claim that mattresses should be replaced every 7-10 years, but this figure can vary widely depending on the type of mattress, how well it's cared for, and how frequently it's used, among other things. That said, mattresses don't last forever, and disposing of them can be a challenge. Since mattresses don't compress well and they take a very long time to decompose, land fills are not the preferred option for their disposal (at least from an environmentally conscious viewpoint). The good news is, there are other options including, in some cases, donation. Read about the options in Mattress Advisors' Mattress Disposal Guide.

Recycle Yard Waste

Another way to contribute to the recycling effort is through the proper disposal of yard waste. Like so many other things in our environment, yard waste can be recycled, donated, or reused.
Thanks to my reader Jan for sharing this excellent resource -- Yard Waste Removal: Recycling, Donating, and Reusing. It's packed full of useful, easy to understand information.

Recycling Car Parts

Did you know that even car parts can be recycled? Not only that, you can actually earn a little money by recycling various elements of your old car. Talk about a win-win! Thanks to reader Rebecca for sharing this excellent resource from The Zebra titled Car Recycling: How You Can Make Money and Save the Environment.

Old tires pose a problem when it comes to disposal. This excellent resource was shared with me by a Boy Scout from Troop 218 who used this page as a resource in doing research for his Environmental Science merit badge. In addition to information on landfill bans and disposal fees by state, it talks about the environmental impact of old tires and what happens to recycled tires. Very informative and helpful.

Recycling Office Supplies

Thanks to Matt and Blake Kelly and their Boy Scout Troop for sharing this resource from HP on How to Recycle Printer Ink Cartridges, Paper, and Other Office Supplies. In addition to information regarding what can and can't be recycled, this excellent resource provides tons of useful and interesting information about reducing, reusing, and promoting recycling in the workplace.

Guide to Shopping Green

In addition to recycling there are other choices we can make to protect the environment. One such choice is shopping green. Learn more about what it means to shop green from this resource shared by a couple of readers, Chloe and Amelia. It's full of good information about ways you can reduce your carbon footprint, as well as your physical waste, by adjusting your shopping habits.

Of Interest

How Recycling Works

Have you ever wondered how recycling works? A young lady who came across my page while researching for a science project on recycling sent me this link (which explains in simple terms the process of recycling plastic bottles). It's a quick read and worth your time. Thanks, Ella!

Thank You for Your Efforts!

No doubt these are just a few of the many recycling resources available. I hope you find this information useful and inspiring, and I wish you the best in your efforts to declutter safely and responsibly.

If you know of a recycling resource I haven't mentioned here, please share it in the comments section below. I invite you to share this page on social media as well. Let's spread the word and get everyone involved in responsible decluttering!

This page was last updated on April 22, 2022.