Knowing is better than guessing. The former gives you an edge. This way you can anticipate and develop solutions as per challenges. The same case is for what items you can recycle. Curbside recycling is not the best place for items present in this list. Especially e-waste. For that, you require special disposal to prevent toxic elements from escaping.

By throwing them in our curbside bin we ensure that happens, and they pose a great risk of contaminating our water sources. Recycling is the only way to prevent this from ever happening.  The incident in Flint was because e-waste was not properly handled. The pollutants contaminated the water sources and guess what Mercury poisoning came into effect.

Here are seven things that you thought you couldn't recycle, but you can

Batteries

Several materials help in creating batteries. These components are toxic to human use and the environment. Once they come to interact, these chemicals can contaminate waterways and endanger human life. The good news is almost all the components present inside the batteries are claimable. They can help us create new batteries, and we don’t unique to mine virgin resources to do so. It has never been easier to recycle batteries and with Recycle Technologies you can easily do that. Our mail-in program and drop-off facility can help you with battery recycling. It is wise to keep e-waste like this from general waste and curbside bins.

Your Mobile Phone

Many people are not aware, but a mobile phone has numerous useful materials. These can be reclaimed and reusable value. You can recycle mobile phones in any e-waste recycling program. Recycle Technologies Drop-off recycling facility is an excellent choice for disposing of mobile phones. We can also help you wipe data from your mobile phones before recycling them. This way we protect your personal information from falling into prying hands.

Ink Cartridges

More than a billion ink cartridges are in use worldwide. That is the same amount every year. Troubling is that only 30 % of them are sent for recycling. The components of these items include plastic, metal, and ink. These components take ages to decompose and pose a great risk to the environment. Please don’t send your old ink cartridges to a landfill. Find a recycler near.  Think that are benefits to you might pose a risk to others.

Chewing Gum

More than 100K tons of chewing guns are chewed across the world. And the main problem is that it is discarded everywhere. Under everything. It leaves behind an expensive mess and no one bothers to clean up. The good news is chewing gun is fully recyclable. It can be reused into several other products like bins, Frisbee, coffee cups, or even mobile phone covers.

Sneakers

A normal sneaker contains a variety of useful materials such as leather, polyester, nylon, rubber, and plastics. In time sneakers wear off unless they are Air Jordans. More than 300 million of them are tossed away every year. And yes, landfills are their resting place. We only recycle E-waste items, but you might try local recyclers if they take sneakers. Donating them to charity is a viable option.

Wetsuits

Wetsuits are on no one top list for recycling. They are composed of a synthetic petrochemical rubber called neoprene. When they are sent into landfill they decompose into smaller pieces and leech chemicals that are dangerous to the environment. If it is in good shape then it can be donated to charity or resold. Recycling them should be your top priority if you are tired from surfing.

Ski Equipment

Skiing is a great pastime.  It helps you get away from a sticky situation fast. Either it is your partner or worse a bear. They go through rough treatment. Most skills are off timber with carbon fibre or fiberglass. Sooner or later, they will require replacement. The great news is that you don’t need to send them to a landfill. You can get them fixed and sell them. Why throw something that has led to great escapades from unforeseen consequences?

Also Read: Manage your waste by Recycling with Recycle Technologies.

Conclusion & Final Thoughts

What is e-waste?

Spent electronics that are no longer in use are called e-waste. They are mostly found in landfills as many organizations do not recycle them. They think by throwing them in the trash they will magically be recycled. That is not the case. With recycling you can get rid of the toxic elements that will eventually plague us and the environment. Recycle Technologies is certified in e-waste recycling. Our recycling Facilities are present in both Wisconsin and Minnesota. Our mail-in program is perfect for disposing of Small Batteries and Light Bulb fixtures. Whereas in our drop-off facility, you can dispose of multiple items. To view which items, we recycle at our recycling facility. Click here.