12 Everyday Items You're Throwing Away That Should Be Recycled Instead

Why Your Recycling Knowledge Gap Costs the Environment

Despite our best intentions, Americans send over 146 million tons of recyclable materials to landfills annually. This staggering amount represents not just waste, but missed opportunities to conserve resources, reduce energy consumption, and minimize pollution.

Many of us faithfully recycle obvious items like water bottles and newspapers, yet remain unaware that dozens of common household products can—and should—be recycled too. This knowledge gap leads well-meaning environmentalists to inadvertently contribute to our growing waste problem.

This practical guide reveals commonly discarded household items that belong in recycling bins, not trash cans. You'll discover how simple changes to your disposal habits can significantly reduce your environmental footprint while conserving valuable resources.

The best part? Most of these recycling opportunities require minimal extra effort once you know they exist. By implementing even a few of these recycling tips, you'll join thousands of environmentally-conscious households making a meaningful difference through everyday choices.

Let's uncover the hidden recyclables lurking in your home right now.

Quick Reference Guide: Recyclable Items at a Glance

Item	Material Type	Environmental Benefit	Recycling Method
Aluminum foil	Metal	Saves 95% energy vs. new aluminum	Rinse and place with metal recycling
Toiletry bottles	Plastic #1-2	Reduces petroleum consumption	Empty, rinse, recycle with plastics
Pizza boxes	Cardboard	Saves trees, reduces landfill volume	Recycle clean portions
Toothpaste tubes	Mixed plastic	Prevents plastic pollution	TerraCycle programs
Wine corks	Natural cork	Biodegradable, reusable	Compost or cork recycling programs
Batteries	Chemical/metal	Prevents toxic leaching	Retailer drop-off or special collection
Light bulbs	Glass/metal/mercury	Prevents mercury contamination	Type-specific recycling programs
Clothing	Textiles	95% can be reused or recycled	Donation or textile recycling
Plastic bags	Thin plastic film	Creates new products like decking	Retail store collection points
Electronics	Mixed materials	Recovers precious metals	E-waste collection programs
Medicine bottles	Hard plastic	Reduces plastic waste	Rinse and recycle with plastics
Plant pots	Plastic	Reduces petroleum consumption	Garden center take-back programs

7 Kitchen Items You Should Never Throw in the Trash

The kitchen generates more recyclable waste than any other room in your home. Unfortunately, many valuable materials end up in the trash due to confusion about what can be recycled. Here are seven kitchen items you should redirect from your garbage can:

1. Clean aluminum foil and trays
That sheet of foil used to cover leftovers or the disposable baking tray from last night's dinner doesn't belong in the trash. Simply rinse off food residue and add to your regular recycling. The environmental impact is significant—recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy required to produce new aluminum. In fact, one recycled aluminum can saves enough energy to power a TV for 3 hours!

2. Glass jars with metal lids
These common kitchen items are fully recyclable, but there's a catch—they need to be separated first. The glass jars go with glass recycling, while metal lids can join aluminum recycling. Most facilities can't process them when attached because they're different materials requiring different recycling processes. Take that extra second to unscrew the lid, and both components can be properly recycled.

3. Used cooking oil
Never pour cooking oil down drains! Not only does it cause plumbing problems, but it's also a wasted resource. Many cities offer cooking oil collection sites where it's converted to biodiesel fuel. Store used oil in its original container or another sealed container until your next recycling trip. Even small amounts add up—a gallon of recycled cooking oil can produce nearly a gallon of biodiesel.

4. Wine corks
Both natural and synthetic corks can be recycled, but through different channels. Natural corks can be composted or collected through programs like ReCORK, which has recycled over 110 million corks into footwear and yoga blocks. Synthetic corks (plastic) can join your regular plastic recycling. Cork recycling bins are increasingly common at grocery stores and wine shops.

5. Coffee pods and capsules
Single-serve coffee systems generate substantial waste, but many manufacturers now offer take-back programs. Nespresso has collected over 120,000 tons of used capsules through their recycling program, recovering both the aluminum and coffee grounds. Keurig K-Cups can be separated—compost the grounds, recycle the foil top, and in some regions, recycle the plastic cup (check local guidelines).

6. Pizza boxes without excessive grease
Contrary to popular belief, pizza boxes with minor grease stains can be recycled. The key is moderation—tear off heavily soiled portions and recycle the clean cardboard. Food contamination can ruin entire batches of recycling, but light oil stains are typically acceptable in modern recycling facilities. When in doubt, tear off and recycle the clean lid at minimum.

7. Mixed-material packaging
Many food packages contain multiple materials that should be separated before recycling. Take an extra 30 seconds to separate plastic windows from cardboard boxes, plastic caps from glass bottles, and metal lids from plastic containers. This simple step ensures each material reaches the appropriate recycling stream instead of contaminating others or being rejected entirely.

5 Bathroom Products You Didn't Know Were Recyclable

The bathroom is often overlooked when it comes to recycling, yet it contains numerous recyclable items. Here's what you're probably throwing away that should be recycled instead:

1. Empty toiletry bottles
Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash bottles are typically made from #1 (PET) or #2 (HDPE) plastic—the most widely accepted types in recycling programs. To properly recycle these items, remove pumps (which are usually not recyclable due to metal springs) and give containers a quick rinse before adding them to your recycling bin. The plastic from just five recycled shampoo bottles can create enough insulation to fill a ski jacket!

2. Cardboard toilet paper tubes
These ubiquitous cardboard cylinders can be recycled with paper waste or composted. Consider the volume—a family of four uses approximately 240 toilet paper rolls annually! That's a significant amount of recyclable material potentially going to waste. These tubes are made from high-quality cardboard that's perfect for recycling into new paper products.

3. Toothpaste tubes and toothbrushes
Traditional toothpaste tubes were difficult to recycle due to their mixed materials, but solutions now exist. TerraCycle partners with Colgate for a free recycling program that accepts all brands of oral care waste, including toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, floss containers, and packaging. Since 2011, they've diverted over 100 million pieces of oral care waste from landfills. Additionally, some brands now offer recyclable tubes—look for the recyclable symbol on packaging.

4. Contact lens packaging
Those tiny plastic containers and foil tops add up quickly for contact lens wearers. Bausch + Lomb's ONE by ONE program accepts used contact lenses and blister packs from any brand. They've recycled over 48 million items since 2016, transforming them into recycled products like park benches and playground equipment. Collection boxes are available at participating optometrist offices, or you can ship materials directly using their mail-back program.

5. Medicine bottles
Prescription bottles are typically made from #5 plastic (polypropylene), which is increasingly accepted in recycling programs. To properly recycle, remove labels with personal information, rinse plastic prescription bottles, and add to regular recycling. Some pharmacies also offer take-back programs for medicine bottles. Walgreens, for example, has collected and recycled over 50 tons of medication packaging through their Safe Medication Disposal program.

Office Waste Recycling Beyond Paper and Cardboard

Office environments generate considerable waste beyond the obvious paper products. Here's how to properly recycle common office items:

1. Envelopes with plastic windows
Good news—most recycling facilities can now process envelopes with plastic windows without requiring removal of the window. The window material separates during the pulping process when recycling paper. However, if your local guidelines specifically request window removal, you can quickly tear out the plastic portion and recycle the paper envelope.

2. Stapled and paper-clipped documents
No need for tedious staple removal before recycling! Modern recycling equipment easily filters out these small metal items during processing. The paper goes through a pulping process where the metal sinks to the bottom and is removed by magnets. This saves you time and ensures both the paper and metal are properly recycled. Paper clips can even be collected separately and reused.

3. Sticky notes and adhesive paper
Despite the adhesive strip, sticky notes can join your paper recycling. The small amount of adhesive is removed during the paper recycling process. The same applies to adhesive labels, envelope seals, and tape on packages (though excessive tape should be removed). The paper fibers in these products are valuable and recyclable despite their sticky components.

4. Shredded paper recycling protocol
Shredded paper is recyclable but requires special handling. The small pieces fall through sorting equipment at recycling facilities, potentially contaminating other materials. Place shredded paper in paper bags before adding to recycling to keep it contained. Some areas require shredded paper to be taken to specific drop-off locations rather than included in curbside recycling, so check local guidelines. Better yet, shred only sensitive documents to minimize the problem.

5. Office electronics and accessories
Items like keyboards, mice, calculators, and desk phones contain valuable materials that can be recovered through e-waste recycling. Best Buy accepts most electronics for recycling regardless of where you purchased them, and Staples offers similar services for office equipment. These programs recover precious metals while preventing toxic components from entering landfills. Even printer cartridges can be recycled—many manufacturers provide prepaid return labels for this purpose.

6 Surprising Household Items with Recycling Solutions

Beyond the kitchen, bathroom, and office, numerous household items have specialized recycling channels:

1. Light bulbs by type
Different bulbs require different recycling approaches. CFLs and fluorescents contain mercury and require special handling—never put them in regular trash or recycling. Home Depot and Lowe's accept CFLs for free recycling. Incandescent bulbs typically go to landfills (though some specialty recyclers accept them), while LEDs should be treated as electronic waste. IKEA and some hardware stores offer collection points for all light bulb types, simplifying the process.

2. Battery recycling options
Batteries contain toxic metals and chemicals that can leach into soil and groundwater when improperly disposed of. Rechargeable batteries are accepted at most electronics retailers including Best Buy, Staples, and Home Depot. Single-use batteries can be recycled through mail-in programs like Call2Recycle, which has collected over 190 million pounds of batteries since 1994. Some communities also offer battery collection at hazardous waste facilities or special collection events.

3. Old clothing and textiles (even damaged)
Clothing recycling programs accept items in any condition—even torn, stained, or worn-out garments. H&M's garment collection program has collected over 100,000 tonnes of textiles for reuse and recycling. Unusable textiles become insulation, cleaning cloths, or fiber fill for new products. Even single socks, worn-out underwear, and threadbare towels can be recycled this way rather than trashed. The EPA estimates that textile waste occupies nearly 5% of all landfill space.

4. Small appliances and electronics
That broken toaster, defunct coffee maker, or outdated digital camera contains valuable materials. Electronics recycling programs recover 35-40 pounds of copper from every 1,000 cell phones, along with gold, silver, and palladium. Many retailers offer free electronics recycling—Best Buy alone has collected over 2 billion pounds of electronics and appliances for recycling. Some municipalities also provide special e-waste collection days or permanent drop-off locations.

5. Plastic plant pots and garden trays
After your spring planting, don't trash those plastic pots and trays. Many garden centers accept these for reuse or recycling. Rinse off soil before returning them. Home Depot's garden centers, for example, collect plastic pots for recycling in many locations. Alternatively, offer them to gardening groups or through online platforms like Freecycle or Facebook Marketplace—many gardeners happily reuse these items.

6. Plastic bags and film packaging
Plastic bags and film wrapping should never go in curbside bins! They tangle in recycling equipment, causing damage and downtime. Instead, return clean, dry bags and film to collection points at grocery stores where they're recycled into composite lumber products for decking, benches, and playground equipment. Acceptable items include shopping bags, bread bags, produce bags, dry cleaning bags, and product wrap from paper towels and toilet paper. Over 1.5 billion pounds of plastic film was recycled in 2018 through these programs.

How to Prepare Items for Maximum Recycling Value

Proper preparation of recyclables ensures they actually get recycled rather than rejected due to contamination:

1. Cleaning requirements: When to rinse vs. wash
A quick rinse removes most food residue, which is sufficient for most containers. Thorough washing is only needed for heavily soiled items. The goal is to remove food particles that could attract pests or contaminate other recyclables—not to achieve spotless perfection. For greasy containers like peanut butter jars, a spatula to remove excess product followed by a rinse with warm water usually suffices. Remember that dirty recyclables can contaminate entire batches, potentially sending everything to landfill.

2. Label removal: When necessary vs. optional
Paper labels on cans and glass typically burn off during processing and don't need removal. Plastic labels on plastic containers, however, should be removed when possible since they're often made from different types of plastic that can contaminate the recycling stream. The same applies to adhesive labels on plastic containers—a quick peel takes seconds but improves recycling quality. When in doubt, removing labels is never wrong.

3. Separating mixed materials in 30 seconds or less
Quick disassembly ensures each component reaches the correct recycling stream. Paper-plastic-metal combinations are particularly important to separate. For example, separate the plastic window from a pasta box, the metal rim from a paper oatmeal container, or the paper label from a plastic bottle. Keep a small container near your recycling bin for components that need different processing—this makes separation a seamless part of your routine.

4. Space-saving storage solutions for recyclables
Flatten boxes, crush cans, and stack materials to maximize space in your recycling bin and reduce the frequency of trips to collection centers. A dedicated sorting station with multiple bins streamlines the process—consider separate containers for paper, glass, metal, and plastic. For apartments with limited space, collapsible bins or stackable containers offer efficient solutions. Remember that compacting materials saves space during transportation too, reducing the carbon footprint of recycling collection.

5. Finding specialty recycling programs without the hassle
Earth911's searchable database helps locate recycling options for unusual items by zip code—simply enter the item and your location to find nearby solutions. TerraCycle offers free recycling programs for hard-to-recycle materials sponsored by major brands. Many manufacturers also provide take-back programs for their products—check their websites or packaging for details. Local social media groups often share information about community-specific recycling resources too.

5 Ways to Expand Your Local Recycling Options

When local curbside programs don't accept everything you want to recycle, try these approaches:

1. How to decode your local recycling guidelines
Visit your municipality's website or call your waste management provider for specific acceptance lists. Many now offer searchable waste wizards to check individual items. Understanding the "why" behind restrictions helps too—contamination costs recycling programs millions annually. Some communities provide tours of recycling facilities or educational workshops to help residents better understand the process and requirements.

2. Seasonal collection events you shouldn't miss
Many communities host hazardous waste collection days, electronics recycling events, and shredding services several times yearly. Mark your calendar! These events often accept items that regular programs don't, including paint, chemicals, batteries, and large electronics. Sign up for alerts from your local solid waste authority to stay informed about upcoming opportunities. Some events even offer free compost or mulch in exchange for recyclables.

3. Mail-in recycling programs for specialty items
Companies like TerraCycle offer free shipping labels for difficult-to-recycle items from specific brands. Mail in everything from snack wrappers to personal care packaging. Manufacturer-sponsored programs often cover shipping costs, making recycling free for consumers. For example, Brita partners with TerraCycle to recycle water filters, and Colgate sponsors a program for oral care products. These programs turn hard-to-recycle materials into new products like park benches and playgrounds.

4. Top apps that simplify recycling decisions
iRecycle and Recycle Coach provide location-specific guidance on where to recycle virtually anything. Both are free and available for iOS and Android. These apps offer on-the-go access to recycling information, collection schedules, and special event notifications. Some even allow you to scan product barcodes to instantly learn if and how to recycle the packaging. Using technology removes the guesswork from recycling decisions, especially for unusual items.

5. Community solutions: Recycling pools with neighbors
Share transportation to recycling centers or split the cost of specialty recycling boxes. A neighborhood collection point for batteries or light bulbs increases participation while reducing individual effort. Some communities organize "recycling captains" who collect hard-to-recycle items from neighbors and deliver them to appropriate facilities. Social media platforms and neighborhood apps make organizing these efforts simpler than ever. Working together not only improves recycling rates but also builds community connections.

From Waste to Resource: Your Recycling Impact

Small changes in recycling habits create remarkable environmental benefits. By properly recycling just one additional item category from this guide, you could divert hundreds of pounds of waste from landfills over your lifetime.

Consider this: Recycling a single aluminum can saves enough energy to power a laptop for five hours. Recycling one glass bottle saves enough energy to light a 100-watt bulb for four hours. These individual actions compound dramatically when practiced consistently.

Set yourself up for success by creating a simple multi-bin system that makes sorting automatic. Place a printed reference guide near your recycling area for quick decision-making. Making recycling convenient is the key to maintaining the habit long-term.

The satisfaction of knowing you're conserving resources and reducing pollution provides lasting motivation. Every aluminum can recycled saves enough energy to run a television for three hours! Every ton of paper recycled saves 17 trees and 7,000 gallons of water.

What other commonly missed recyclables have you discovered? Share your findings with friends and family to multiply your impact. Environmental awareness spreads through communities, creating positive change far beyond your household.

Start today by choosing just one item from this guide that you typically throw away, and commit to recycling it properly from now on. Small beginnings lead to significant impact when practiced consistently.

Recyclable Items Quick Reference Guide

Top 5 Highest-Impact Items to Start Recycling Today:

1. Aluminum foil and trays (save 95% of the energy required for new aluminum)
2. Empty plastic toiletry bottles (reduce petroleum consumption)
3. Electronic waste (recover precious metals and reduce toxic leaching)
4. Textiles in any condition (95% can be recycled or repurposed)
5. Clean paper products of all types (save trees and water)

Common Recycling Symbols Explained:

• ♳ through ♹: Plastic resin identification codes (not recycling guarantees)
• ♲: General recycling symbol
• ♻: Made from recycled materials

For More Resources:

• Earth911.com – Searchable database for local recycling options
• TerraCycle.com – Free recycling programs for hard-to-recycle materials
• EPA.gov/recycle – Comprehensive recycling information

Remember that even imperfect recycling efforts make a difference. Each item diverted from landfill represents a small victory for our planet's future. Your consistent actions, combined with those of others, create meaningful environmental change that benefits generations to come.