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Household Recycling
The great part about recycling is that it can start in your own home. By ensuring that you don’t discard your recyclable products, such as soup cans, cereal boxes, plastic bags, and newspapers, you can contribute to the tons of material diverted from the waste stream every year. Composting organic materials, such as food scraps and yard clippings, is another way you can prevent further disposal into landfills and incinerators.The environmental benefits are just the beginning of the story, as the recycling industry is also responsible for providing 1.1 million jobs in the United States and economic sustainability. In addition to these benefits, recycling is often available and easy to do, thanks to the many communities that offer recycling programs.
Below, you will find helpful links where you can learn what to recycle, where to recycle, and what resources are available to make recycling a permanent part of your home lifestyle.
EPA Resources:
- Resource Conservation Challenge is a national effort to conserve natural resources and energy by managing materials more efficiently.
- EPA Region 4’s computer and electronics recycling page can direct you to local electronics recycling resources.
- EPA provides answers to your frequently asked questions (FAQs).
- Recycling information by topic and additional resources are available on EPA Region 4’s A-Z topics list.
- EPA’s consumer tips for reducing solid waste is a valuable tool.
- Basic Facts provides an overview of MSW management and describes key facts about the U.S. MSW stream.
- MSW Commodities overviews information on recycling activities associated with a variety of materials recovered for recycling in the United States.
- This link will lead you to resources and regulations on household hazardous wastes.
- Information on residential construction and demolition debris.
Your State/Regional Resources:
- State and local recycling representatives can help with local recycling programs and issues.
- Earth 911 offers a comprehensive listing of what to recycle and how to do it, including household hazardous wastes.
- America Recycles Day is an organization committed to encouraging Americans to recycle and purchase recycled materials and products.
- Waste reduction is one of Keep America Beautiful’s top priorities.
- For Christmas tree recycling tips and locations, National Christmas Tree Association partners with Earth 911 to help you find local recycling centers.
- EPA has a site completely dedicated to organic composting.
- Earth 911’s site on organic composting;provides resources from mowing tips to vermiculture worm compost.
- Florida’s comprehensive composting tutorial and information site.
- North Carolina Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance’s Organics Recycling and Composting site provides Composting 101.
- South Carolina’s Gardening and Recycling Organics Wisely (GROW) Program is an integrated approach to gardening, landscaping, and waste reduction.
- Visit Region 4’s School Recycling page for regional school recycling information.
- EPA’s kids recycling page, also known as the Environmental Kids Club.
- Earth 911 Kids site is complete with activities and resources for all grade levels.
- America’s Beverage Companies Web site allows you to follow a day in the life of a recycled can or bottle.
- Steel Recycling Institute lets kids log in to play recycling games and access fun activities on steel recycling.
- Steel Recycling Institute teacher tools offers teaching materials on steel recycling from early education through high school.
- Paper University is sponsored by TAPPI, the technical association for the worldwide pulp, paper and converting industry. The Web site is appropriate for all ages.