Common everyday products that are not recyclable
When we talk about sustainable living, we really mean having a lower impact on the planet in whatever way is possible. Let it be by switching to green alternatives or by being a part of a circular economy. The only motive is to live each day with the least impact on this planet.
Our everyday habits and our choices need to be altered to contribute to a green tomorrow. What you consume and what you dump all need to be controlled. We have blamed plastic for being non-recyclable and hoarding in landfills, but what about paper products? Paper products, food wraps, textiles, and several other everyday products are non-recyclable and we need to be cautious about it.
Here we have compiled a list of products that are not recyclable and we need to look for their proper disposal methods.
Products that are not recyclable
1. Paper products that cannot be recycled
Paper is made from renewable resources, is capable of biodegrading or recycling, but here if’s and but’s exist. It is hard to recycle soiled paper products or others that have chemicals inked on them. A few cases are
- Tissue paper/toilet paper
- Sticky notes or paper receipts
- Shredded paper
- Pizza boxes or other contaminated paper packaging
We are still waiting for the paper industry to shift to sustainable alternatives to wood pulp-based paper.
2. Textile
The fashion industry, in itself, is a major threat to the environment. “Unfair trade practices, the use of harmful chemicals, the overexploitation of natural resources and workers” are all linked to the fashion industry. Clothing today is mostly made of composites, which are difficult to recycle, so they end up in landfills.
One should rather choose to donate or resell clothes if not needed.
3. Single-use plastic products
We produce 300 million tonnes of plastic each year worldwide, half of which is for single-use items. And these products are difficult to recycle, as they are neither traceable after disposal nor accepted by local recycling facilities.
Rather, switch to eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic products.
4. Food scraps
Food is biodegradable, can be fed to animals, and can be home composted as well. Why do we even need to treat it as a waste product? Effectively manage your kitchen waste and try to minimise the waste coming out of it.
5. Spray Cans
Shaving creams, hair sprays, deodorants, and all those other aerosol cans that you use are non-recyclable as they are highly pressurised and flammable. But you can follow the required steps before sending them off to recycling centers.
6. Other layered products
Plastic lined products or other composites are hard to segregate and are thus not recycled. It includes diapers, plastic-lined paper cups, aluminum-laminate wrappers and tubes, among others.
Recycling has to be a mandatory part of our lives to contribute to a healthy planet. Instead of dumping things in your bin, segregate them and send them to local recycling facilities. Take a step ahead and bring the required difference for a green tomorrow.
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