Nothing can ever change the fact that human activities generate wastes in various forms. Unfortunately, most of these wastes end up in landfills, which can negatively impact the environment. Recycling is among the known ways that help decrease the effects of pollution because it can minimise the wastes thrown into landfills.
You might want to put every single waste into the recyclable bin in the hopes of getting repurposed by recycling centres. However, there are some items that neither you nor any recycling facilities can reuse and recycle.
This article listed most of the items that you cannot and must not put into recyclable bins. We will also discuss how services that provide waste removal in Sydney can help you deal with your residential or commercial wastes, be it recyclable or not.
7 Items You Cannot Put into Recyclable Bins
Awareness of the environment’s present condition is now heightened more than ever. To minimise the number of wastes disposed into the landfills, knowing how to categorise our wastes and knowing the right bin to place the non-recyclables ones can be helpful.
But what if you don’t know how to categorise? Well, worry no more as we listed most of these items below.
1. Syringes and Sharps
Syringes and other sharps, such as needles, lancets, and scalpel blades, are considered non-recyclable. It can pose a risk to the health of both medical professionals and waste workers alike since the materials might have contents that can potentially carry diseases such as hepatitis and HIV. Other than that, placing syringes and needles in the recyclable bins is also harmful because it can cause cuts or punctures to those who will get in contact.
2. Nappies
Used disposable nappies must be thrown right away into the general waste bin. You might think that it is recyclable since it has ‘organic’ contents; however, disposable nappies are made of materials that are nearly impossible to break down. In addition, its contents will eventually become hazardous.
3. Plastic bags and soft plastics
Yes, you read that right—plastic bags and other soft plastics such as toilet paper packaging, fruit and vegetable bags, and other food wrappers. You are discouraged from placing your recyclables in plastic bags before you put them into the recycling or the yellow bin.
The reason is that these types of plastics can wrap and tangle in the machines that are used in most recyclable centres.
4. Materials Made of Polystyrene
Materials made out of polystyrene are not viable for recycling. Expanded polystyrene, or known as styrofoam, is perhaps the most commonly known usage of polystyrene. Other examples of this material include meat trays and foam packaging used in packing fragile materials.
The problem with polystyrene materials is that they can be recycled, but doing so is costly due to the machinery used. Also, recycling polystyrene is difficult because it is lightweight.
5. Glass Items
There are selected glass items that Sydney’s waste management programs won’t allow putting in recyclable bins since these have different waste management methods. Such glass items include broken glass window panes, light globes, mirrors, and other contaminated glass.
If broken, such items can puncture those who handle these recyclable wastes. If not broken, some of these glass items can have different melting points that can cause problems in the machines in recycling facilities.
6. Soiled Paper Products
Used paper tissues and napkins should not be thrown into the recyclable bins. When mixed with other recyclables, soiled towels or napkins can collect the dirt of different items in the bin.
Another reason is that these products are likely recycled several times already, and each time they get recycled, the fibres of these paper materials get shorter, making them too short to be used the next time around.
7. Mixed materials
Mixed materials come in products that combine materials such as metal, plastic, metal, and foil. These materials include coffee or hot chocolate cups and milk cartons, wherein the body is made up of cardboard, and the caps are made out of plastic.
Suppose you want to make the most out of it, what you can do is to separate the body from the plastic lids so that these caps, which are considered recyclable, can still be repurposed.
So, What Then Can Be Recycled?
Here is a list of most of the items you can recycle and place into the recycling bin or the yellow bin:
- Aluminium foil
- Bottle and jar top and lids
- Cardboard boxes
- Empty aerosol cans
- Envelopes
- Lidless glass bottles and jars
- Plastic bottles
- Plastic containers and trays
- Print media materials
- Tins and cans made of aluminium and steel
Why Seek Professional Services for Your Waste Removal in Sydney?
Did you know that around 50% of the total rubbish collected from New South Wales (NSW) in 2019 is solely from Sydney, out of its 27 cities? Thus, if you live in the Sydney Metropolitan Area (SMA) and want to take part in responsible waste removal, make sure you sort through your wastes and separate the recyclables from the non-recyclables. In this manner, you only dispose of items that are not advisable for you to recycle.
If you finally sorted and separated non-recyclable wastes, make sure you seek help from a professional waste removal services provider. Professionals do not only make the removal job easier for you, but you can also be assured that they will handle and dispose of your rubbish correctly and according to Syndey’s waste management.
Sydney City Rubbish: Your Responsible Waste Removal Partner
Investing in the services of professionals can help you maintain a clean and hygienic property. Importantly, you are also making an effort to minimise your impact on the environment. So, if you seek a reliable company that can provide efficient waste removal in Sydney, you can never go wrong with Sydney City Rubbish.
Here at Sydney City Rubbish, you can feel confident that we carry out waste removal for you accordingly and adequately. Should you want to get a free quote, visit https://www.sydneycityrubbish.com.au/book-a-quote. You can also give us a ring at (02) 9114 9727 today.
