“Reduce, reuse, recycle,” is one of the more famous and fundamental sayings of the past few decades. Recycling has become a crucial element of environmental conservation. Besides merely putting items in the wastebasket for recycling pickup, here are a few tips to keep in mind to ensure your items get processed effectively. 

Tips to Prepare for Recycling Pickup

1. Recycle Debris From Remodeling Projects 

Whether you’re remodeling the bathroom, replacing the kitchen flooring, or building a new deck, you can recycle many of your building materials. This includes bits of hardwood, metal beams, and plastic tubes. Even heavy-duty materials, such as brick, stone, and concrete, can be recycled.

Keep in mind that these items may not be eligible for regular recycling pickup. You may need to make arrangements with a waste removal company. You can also rent a roll-off dumpster ahead of time to manage project waste efficiently. 

2. Know the Restrictions 

Some recyclables require special handling. This includes batteries and electronics, which may contain harmful chemicals. Many recycling centers have a specific protocol for collecting these items if they accept them at all.

Call the waste management company first before taking them in, and do not mix these items with the rest of your household recycling. Also, keep things like spray paint and other aerosol containers and flammables such as gasoline containers, out of the bin as these can be a fire hazard. 

3. Keep It Clean 

Clean out all of your food, beverage, and toiletry containers before you put them in the bin. They don’t have to be sparkling clean, but a good rinse will do. Otherwise, scraps and liquids may get onto paper products. Dirty paper impedes the recycling process and increases the likelihood that the paper will end up in the garbage instead of reused. 

4. Break Down & Flatten What You Can 

After you unpack a box of delivered goods or a new appliance, break down the container before recycling it. Flat boxes take up less room in the bin, making more room for other waste. Packages that are still intact are also harder for machines to process. When breaking them down, be sure to pull off the tape and sticky labels too. 

If you need recycling pickup or other waste management assistance in Tazewell County, IL, turn to X Waste Inc. This experienced team has served residential and commercial customers throughout Central Illinois since 2003, providing a range of services including trash hauling and recycling pickup and roll-off dumpster rental. Call (309) 353-4388 to speak with a friendly staff member to make arrangements, or visit the website to learn more about what they can do for you.