Everyday Items You Didn’t Know You Could Recycle

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it countless times: recycling is a simple habit that makes the world a better place. You already know that plastic bottles, cardboard boxes and aluminum cans belong in recycling bins. But did you know that there are other items in your home that can also be recycled?

Recycling isn’t limited to those common items that make it to curbside pickup. Let’s explore some everyday household items that you can start recycling as well. 

Why You Should Recycle

If you love the planet and want to do all you can to take care of it while ensuring that future generations can enjoy the fruits of your environmentally friendly labor, recycling is a simple way to make a powerful impact. Recycling keeps reusable items and materials out of landfills and waterways, and it conserves valuable energy that would otherwise be used to extract the natural resources required to make the materials used by many manufacturers. At the same time, you are also protecting ecosystems and wildlife that may be negatively impacted by waste. In short, recycling is one of the easiest ways to make the world a better place to live.

How To Recycle Uncommon Items

These uncommon recyclables won’t get the same curbside treatment as your cardboard boxes or plastic bottles. Most of them will require an extra step or two. However, we think the results are worth the extra effort. Check locally, there may be facilities nearby that take these recyclables. For the items you can’t recycle at a facility, there are national programs that recycle uncommon things like crayons, sports equipment, toothbrushes, and wine corks. Other organizations, such as TerraCycle provide recycling solutions for just about any household item. Whatever the item — even if it’s not on our list — there is likely a recycling solution worth investigating.  

10 Items You Didn’t Know You Could Recycle

1). Clothing and Shoes

Most clothing, from jeans and sweatpants to tank tops and tennis shoes, can be recycled. Often, they are repurposed into new clothing. However, they aren’t limited to becoming wearables again. Clothing and shoes can be recycled in a number of creative ways, so don’t throw out those old outfits. Give them a second life by donating them to a local charity or Goodwill store. 

2). Eyeglasses

If your old prescription just isn’t cutting it anymore, put those old eyeglasses to another use. Different pieces of eyeglasses can be repurposed, including the lenses, plastic frames, and nose protectors. You can donate your old glasses at local LensCrafters or Walmart Vision Centers. Or, if you’d rather make a difference on a global scale, you can donate your old specs to OneSight. 

3). Home Electronics

This catch-all category includes all of the household gadgets that may be collecting dust around your home. Speakers, kitchen appliances, and even old audio devices qualify as home electronics that can be recycled. Typically, these can be repurposed or scrapped for recyclable parts. 

4). Cell Phones

Still have a flip phone stashed away somewhere or buried in the back of a dresser drawer? If you’re ready to part ways with this relic of the digital past, don’t throw it away. You can recycle your old cell phone. Some have value in manufacturing markets, while others can be melted down into usable materials to be recycled into new items. If you’re not sure where to recycle it, check locally with your mobile phone carriers. 

5). Cosmetic Packaging

Those jars and bottles that hold your go-to cosmetic products can also become your go-to recyclables. While most containers are made of plastic, many have mixed materials. So before recycling, remove the lid and label when you can.

6). Sports Equipment

Is your home gym needing a refresh, or has your workout equipment seen better days? If so, don’t throw it out. You might find many pieces in a home gym — yoga mats, plastic mats, free weights, elastic bands, and exercise balls — that are prime items for resale or recycling. 

7). Batteries

Rechargeable phone batteries and the disposable batteries used in household gadgets and TV remotes can be recycled. Find a specialized recycling facility nearby to ensure your old batteries are recycled properly. Visit call2recycle.org to find battery recycling locations near you.

8). Crayons

That’s right — even old crayons can be recycled! Crayons are made of paraffin wax, which is a petroleum byproduct. This means they are not biodegradable and will not break down if thrown away. Instead of tossing them in the trash, recycle crayons no longer in use to give them a new purpose. Crayons might be one of the lesser-known recyclable products, but The National Crayon Recycling Program makes it easy to do.

9). Wine Corks

While some wine corks are made from the bark of a cork tree, many others are made from synthetic materials. Wine corks are great for DIY projects, but if there is no crafting in your future, consider recycling them instead. To recycle natural corks, check out ReCORK. Synthetic corks and screwtops? Throw them in your regular recycling bin.

Verdeco’s Commitment to Sustainability

At Verdeco, recycling is integral to what we do. We use high-quality, sustainably sourced recycled plastics to create the best rPET on the market. Our rPET rivals virgin PET in its quality and performance, giving companies a viable, sustainable alternative for their products. We’re changing the world through recycling, and we hope you’ll follow along to see our long-term impacts. 

To learn more about how we’re changing the world, visit verdecorecycling.com.