How to recycle in the kitchen

Wondering how to recycle in the kitchen? Check out this guide to recycle food packaging and kitchen recycling tips to reduce the impact of your daily habits on the planet.

We live in a world where environmental awareness has become a common concern. You’re likely taking personal steps toward a more sustainable lifestyle every day. One important action step you can take is to recycle in your kitchen.But what is recycling real? Simply put, recycling is taking items that would otherwise be thrown away and processing them into usable items. Sustainability experts call this “cradle-to-cradle,” meaning a product has no real final life—at the end of its life, the product is reborn as a new product. In the United States, the recycling rate is 34%. So, there is still a lot of work to be done! Recycling is an important way to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and to reduce the resources needed to produce items.

Recycling steps

What happens every time you recycle? According to the EPA, when you place your recycling items in the blue recycling bin, you need to follow these steps:

1. collect: Recyclables are first collected through pick-up and drop-off services.
2. Processing: The recyclables then go through processing, which includes sorting, cleaning and processing the items. Recyclables are a commodity, so after processing they are bought and sold based on supply and demand.
3. manufacturing: Recyclables are incorporated into products sold for mass consumption.
4. Buy: Consumers purchasing products containing recycled materials contribute to the sustainability of recycling and its environmental benefits.

recycled kitchen items

So, how do you know which items in your kitchen can be recycled? For a clearer understanding, let’s take a closer look:

kitchen recyclable project

These items can usually be recycled:

• Aluminum/steel cans (e.g. soup cans, vegetable cans, coffee cans)
• Aluminum foil and disposable aluminum cookware
• Cardboard packaging (e.g. cereal boxes, milk and juice boxes)
• tissue
• Glass bottles and jars
• Plastic bottles, jars and jugs

kitchen No-recyclable project

These items are not typically recycled:

• Polystyrene foam cup/container
• Ceramics (e.g. tableware, ovenware)
• Heat-resistant glass (ie Pyrex)
• crystal
• dirty plastic
• Plastic grocery bags
• Batteries (such as battery-powered kitchen equipment)

(Source: Waste Management)

Now, please note that the details on what can and cannot be recycled may vary from city to city; so be sure to check with your local waste management service.

Kitchen Recycling Tips

Here are some tips for effective kitchen recycling.

1. Carry shopping bags wherever you go! A great way to reduce your plastic use is to bring a reusable shopping bag with you when making purchases. Keep a few handbags in the car for emergencies.

2. Always rinse recyclable items with water before placing them in the recycling bin. One contaminated item could mean an entire batch of recyclables could be rejected by a recycling center. This is particularly relevant for plastics.

3. Know which plastics are recyclable. The numerical symbol on the bottom of a plastic container indicates the type of plastic resin used in the bottle, not necessarily whether it is recyclable. The simplest way to determine recyclability is based on the shape of the plastic. The most suitable shapes for recycling are bottles, cans, jars and tubs. Get more details from your local recycling facility to determine the specific types of plastic resin that can be recycled (the number on the bottom of the plastic).

SPI Resin Identification Code	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Resin content type	pet	High-density polyethylene	vinyl plastic	Low-density polyethylene	Polypropylene	polystyrene	other
• PET – polyethylene terephthalate • HDPE – high density polyethylene	• LDPE – low density polyethylene • PP – Polypropylene				• PS – Polystyrene • Other – mixed plastics

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

4. Avoid purchasing household hazardous waste (HHW). This includes the cleaning agents you use in your kitchen. Whenever possible try to purchase non-hazardous alternatives. Check with your local waste management agency for policies on how to dispose of cleaning products when needed.

5. Recycle batteries. Most communities have collection units for battery disposal. Keep an eye out for these battery recycling drives!

6. Do not mix electrical equipment with other recyclable items. Find a Waste Management Electronics Drop Center near you to safely dispose of all your electronics.

7. Reduce and reuse! Recycling is great, but reducing waste is also important. Reuse plastic items by washing containers or ziplock bags, and reduce the number of single-use items you buy each week, such as disposable cutlery and plates.

Recycle with confidence now! With this knowledge of recycling and the drive to make a difference in your world, we can participate in the positive impact recycling has on the environment.

For other tips on sustainable living, check out the following blogs:

Image: Recycling in Boulder, Colorado, Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN

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