Top 20 Things to Recycle in Your Home

November 15th is “America Recycles Day!”

In honor of this sustainable celebration, we have made a list of common household items that we can all recycle to help conserve resources and protect our environment.

Kitchen

  1. Food Boxes
    cereal boxes, frozen meal boxes, crackers, pasta, etc
  2. Food Cans
    canned foods, canned drinks, canned sauces, etc
  3. Plastic Jugs
    milk jugs, juice jugs, etc
  4. Paper Towel Rolls
    don’t forget plastic wrap rolls, aluminum foil rolls, and their boxes
  5. Plastic Bottles
    condiments, soft drinks, dressings, etc
  6. Old Appliances
    microwaves, toasters, dishwashers, refrigerators, stoves, etc
  7. Cooking Oil
    vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil, and other frying oils can be used as biodiesel

Bathroom

  1. Shampoo Bottles
    don’t forget conditioner and other bottled cosmetic cleansers
  2. Soap Boxes
    paper wrappers and other cardboard cosmetic and hygiene product boxes as well
  3. Toilet Paper Roll
    if you have small children in your house, consider reusing them for crafts!

Living Room

  1. Household batteries
    AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, and button cell batteries
  2. Electronics
    televisions, remote controls, blu ray players, stereos, speakers, sound bars, game consoles, etc

Bedroom

  1. Tissue Boxes
    don’t forget other cardboard panels and containers
  2. Magazines
    and newsletters, books at the end of their life, etc
  3. Mattresses
    foam, innerspring, latex, or combination

Office

  1. Junk Mail
    postcards, letters, fliers, and more. more fun to throw, so consider a bin for recyclables next to the trash bin
  2. Scrap Paper
    printing mistakes, notepad pages, hole punched holes, and more no paper left behind!
  3. Ink Cartridges
    some models allow you to reuse them, or exchange for refurbished at a discount

Garage

  1. Tires
    don’t forget lawn tractor and other tires
  2. Automotive Fluids
    oil, power steering fluid, coolant, brake fluid, can all be either used for fuel or recycled

Some items require advanced processing and recycling may not be available in all cities. Click here to see if recycling for these items is available in your area.

Remember, it is better to reduce what you use, and reuse what has already been used, and lastly, to recycle items that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Paper, cardboard, and organic matter can also be composted to help feed your garden.