How Recycleable Is Your Life?

image via idioms by kids

We Americans have a lot of stuff. Generally, a lot more than we know what to do with. And this becomes apparent particularly when someone is moving, as a colleague of mine did a couple of months ago.

Downsizing after the early death of her husband, she found herself faced with the hugely unpleasant task of sifting through nearly 30 years' worth of acquisitions. Some items she knew could be recycled, others not. Still others she wasn't sure about. When the dust finally settled from her move, she discovered that some of the things that were technically recyclable turned out to be unrecyclable and there were things she had not even thought were recyclable that were!

Unlikely Recyclables

Did you know dentures, eyeglasses, prosthetic limbs and cell phones are recyclable? Groups like the Lions or Elks clubs and some businesses collect some of these items and make them available to be re-fitted for new users who can't afford to purchase them for themselves, or in the case of dentures, recycling the materials. So before you throw away your previous pair of prescription lenses, think about who might use them.

Unlikely to be Recycled

It may be a perfectly useful piece of furniture - a bookcase, a desk, a table. But if it is made with particle board, a number of charity resellers like Goodwill won't take it. It may be that furniture made with particle board just doesn't sell, although it can sometimes disappear.

It could be just a week old with the tags left on it, but for thrift stores, mattresses are out. It's a health issue - the law doesn't allow them to take the chance of spreading illness or varmints through beds. This doesn't mean your old mattress must go to the landfill, though. Many mattress sellers are offering to collect used mattresses/bedsprings because the materials can be salvaged.

So How Do You Know?

First, start with the label or tag, if there is one. Look for the recycling symbol. If it's there, the item is technically able to be recycled.

Now check with your local recycling center online or by phone about what they're able to take. They may not be able to recycle somethings for lack of the proper machinery or destination. Earth911 can be a good place to start looking for both centers and information on what's recyclable.

If it's a useful item in good condition that can't be accepted by Goodwill or another agency, you can still offer it on craiglist or perhaps swap for something else. A friend might be having a garage sale or there might be a local consignment shop. It might even be worth something as a collectible.

Plan Ahead

If you're thinking about a move in the future, even if it's not the near future, it's worthwhile to begin planning now. The more information you have on the recycling options available to you - whether for re-use or breakdown for materials - the better you can plan and the fewer still useful items will end up taking space in the landfill. In fact, though Fall is just arriving, Winter and a new-start New Year will be just behind it, followed by Spring and you-know-what.

Though your actions may not keep the landfills from filling, every little thing, whether composting or ridesharing, helps offset your carbon footprint.