recycle

Many of us may not realize it, but in today’s world waste and garbage is one of our main concerns. Every day people dispose of numerous wrappings and packaging materials and, on annual base, we throw away tons of trash. Nowadays, we simply became used to the fact that all our products are wrapped up neatly in, sometimes, multi-layered packaging materials. And although these wrappings may look nice, they are, in fact, one of the largest contributors to polluting our earth.

Especially plastics, the most commonly type of wrapping used to pack goods, causes tremendous harm to our environment. Most of us can recall the images of oceans filled with floating plastic garbage that pollutes our waters and destroys marine life. In fact, the environmental pollution caused by the mindless disposal of plastics in the past has led to the fact that this issue is now seen as one of the main concerns to our environment.

So what can we do to help the earth and lower our the negative impact we have on our environment? Naturally, there are some simple things we can do such as reusing plastic bags and bringing our own reusable lunch containers to work. However, no matter how hard we try, we can never get 100% rid of our production of trash. Therefore, no matter how small the waste production of your household may be, the best thing to do to help our environment is to separate your waste and recycle!

Recycling is in fact very easy and takes a minimum effort. Below, we have listed some items that we come across in our every day life that can be easily recycled. By separating our trash we may not reduce our production of waste, but at least we can make sure that it gets re-used after it has been throw away and will thus not end up in nature and pollute our environment.

Plastic Bottles and Containers

Plastic packaging materials are one of the most common yet one of the most polluting type of wrappings in today’s world. Ranging from bottles to blister packaging and bags – you can find plastics everywhere. Although plastics have caused much harm to our environment, we can in fact recycle wrappings made from this material. Plastic packaging materials have been categorized into 7 different categories based on their recyclability rate. When recycled, plastic can be turned into new packaging materials, fleece clothing, rope, furniture and garden supplies.

Steel and aluminum containers

Metal packaging materials such as aluminum cans, tin containers, and all other sorts of small metal containers are often found in the food and cosmetic industries. Think for instance about canned food and make-up containers such as the ones used for lotions, hair wax, and lip gloss. Metal containers are 100% recyclable and do not lose any of its quality after it is turned into a new product. They are furthermore cheap, durable, and fully customizable. This makes them one of the most popular but also one of the most sustainable packaging materials available to businesses today. Especially premium quality goods that come in a nice and colorful wrapping often feature a metal wrapping. Custom tins can be found in many major industries where they offer a sustainable and attractive way to package goods. When recycled, metal containers can be turned into items such as new containers, road signs, or window frames. 

Glass bottles and jars

Another common wrapping we often come across especially in the food and beverage industry are glass bottles and jars. When your glass jars and bottles are empty, make sure to remove the lid before disposing of them in your local glass recycling container. When being recycled, glass can be turned into new products that include new glass wrappings and fiberglass insulation. Please note that not all glass can be recycled. Ceramics, window glass, mirrors, and light bulbs for instance should not be disposed of in your local glass recycle container.

Printing paper, paper packaging, and cartons

Paper is an other material that we use on daily basis. Whether it’s at work for printing or taking notes, or in the form of a wrapping or carton – paper is all around us. When separated from other waste, paper can be recycled into a wide range of new products. Hereby you can think about new paper products such as boxes, egg cartons, paper towels, tissues, paper-based plant pots and so much more.