If you are trying to look out for the environment, your efforts to be more earth-conscious can extend to waste removal, as well. Recycling helps save natural resources and curb excess energy consumption spent mining raw materials. Although paper, plastic, and glass are recyclable, there are certain items that fall into these categories that you can’t toss in the blue bin, including the items listed below.     

3 Household Items That Aren’t Recyclable

1. Cardboard Food Containers

Pizza boxes and other cardboard food containers should be put in the regular trash for waste removal. The oily residue food leaves behind soaks into the material. When cardboard is saturated with oil, it becomes impossible for recycling equipment to separate the paper fibers during the pulping stage of the process. Before sorting, the gunk could also contaminate other items. 

2. Holiday Lights

As the start of the holiday season approaches, you might begin to think about your holiday and tree lights. If you have tangled strands of lights with burnt-out bulbs, call your city’s municipal solid waste office for disposal options. You can’t put the lights out for curbside recycling, as the long wires could become tangled in the equipment. The same is true with other cables. Check to see if your city recycles holiday lights for residents. You could also reach out to companies that handle waste removal for these types of goods. For example, you could mail old lights to the Christmas Light Source. The program works with recyclers who specialize in copper, plastic, and glass. The proceedings from the recycling go to Toys for Tots.   

3. Plastic Shower Curtains

After a while, the minerals in water can make a plastic shower curtain dirty and dingy. Just because you don’t feel like cleaning it, doesn’t mean the curtain should go in the blue bin. If polyvinyl chloride was used to make the plastic, it can’t be recycled with other plastics because of the high chlorine content. The chemical additives PVC contains also make it difficult to process. You can recycle the old curtain by finding a new use for it around the house, such as a tarp to protect furniture or flooring when remodeling or painting. 

If recyclables are collecting in your home, call the waste removal specialists at Consolidated Waste Services in Asheville, NC. With over 50 years of combined experience, the technicians will get rid of unwanted household items responsibly. They also provide dumpsters for construction and residential recycling. To learn about the LEED Recycling Program and schedule services in Buncombe County, call (828) 645-0660. Find product descriptions on the waste management company’s website.