Quiz

BuzzFeed Staff

Goodful

Let's find out if you're tossing the right stuff in your recycling bin.

Do You Actually Know If These Items Can Be Recycled?

QUIZ: What Can Be Recycled?

Aluminum cans are able to become other aluminum products over and over and over again. Remember to give them a quick rinse, but please don't crush them before putting them in your bin — crushed cans can miss the sorter and end up in the landfill.

It depends on the municipality, but most don't accept pizza boxes, because the grease contaminates them, making them unrecyclable. Why? Well, when paper is recycled, it's mixed with water to form a slurry, and because oil and water don't mix, food grease and oil float to the top of the slurry, mingle with the paper pulp, and render the whole batch unusable.

Most receipts are made from thermal paper and contain Bisphenol A, which shouldn't enter the recycling stream (or else your receipt would become toilet paper and give your backside some unwanted quality time with that chemical). The move here is to politely decline a receipt or opt for an electronic version whenever possible.

Whether it's glossy, non-glossy, construction, or a plain envelope, that mail can be recycled. It's doesn't hurt to remove the clear window panes from envelopes, but most are actually made from cellulose, which can be recycled with paper. Want to stop that junk mail altogether? [Set yourself free](https://catalogchoice.org/).

When it comes to items like bagged salad, chips, cookies, and candy, if the bag is soft enough to crush in your hand, it’s usually not recyclable. Some special receptacles do exist for these, but your best bet is to avoid this type of packaging as much as you can.

Amber, emerald, and clear glass can all come back as other glass products for basically all of eternity. But you should still try to repurpose 'em as much as possible before you toss 'em in your recycling bin.

Pretty much all plastic bottles, jugs, and jars (save for yogurt or pudding containers, which may need to be recycled elsewhere) are recyclable. Just be sure to rinse them out beforehand!

Sadly, even though mirrors might _seem_ like glass, lots of chemicals go into making them reflective, and those chemicals can't safely enter recycling streams. Womp.

Some special systems can handle styrofoam, but they’re not very common, so when you can, refuse things like packing peanuts and coated cups and containers...since styrofoam can sit in landfills for centuries.

There's a misconception that glossy paper can't be recycled, but that shiny coating doesn't actually contaminate the paper, so these days, nearly all community recycling programs will accept glossy magazines and catalogs.

Ceramics contain a bunch of chemicals that make them ultra-heat tolerant and, like mirrors, those chemicals don't belong in recycling streams.

A good rule of thumb: Don't recycle anything smaller than a Post-It, even if it's made from a recyclable material. Items like gum wrappers are too small to be picked up by traditional sorters and can end up as contamination. Go ahead and compost any small pieces of paper instead.

Hmm, looks like it might be time to brush up on the dos and don'ts of recycling. The planet needs you! Don't worry — we've got you covered with [this handy guide](https://www.buzzfeed.com/ashleepiper/recycling-dos-and-donts).

There are probably a few common recyclables that might not be making it into your bin, but you're on the right track! Stay diligent out there — do it for the planet.

Nothing slips by you when it comes to recycling. You always think before you sink (an item into your trash can). Keep up the good work, my green friend!

16 Easy And Doable Ways To Create Less Waste In 2019

6 Things That Can Be Recycled, And 13 That Absolutely Can't

A Beginner's Guide To Composting

About BuzzFeed Community

Community Brand Guidelines

BuzzFeed Community

Sorry, this content is <i>no longer</i> supported.

BuzzFeed Community Guidelines

BuzzFeed Community Leaderboard

BuzzFeed News has breaking stories and original reporting on politics, world news, social media, viral trends, health, science, technology, entertainment, and LGBTQ issues.

All the best animals on the internet. The snuggle is real.

BuzzFeed has breaking news, vital journalism, quizzes, videos, celeb news, Tasty food videos, recipes, DIY hacks, and all the trending buzz you’ll want to share with your friends. Copyright BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved.

BuzzFeed News | Breaking News | Original Reporting | News Analysis

Animal Pictures and Videos - Adorably from BuzzFeed

Name

Thanks for subscribing!

Stay up to date with our latest BuzzFeed video. Enter your email to subscribe!

Oops! Upload an image or add text to submit.

BuzzFeed has the hottest, most social content on the web. We feature breaking buzz and the kinds of things you'd want to pass along to your friends.

Browse links

Do You Actually Know If These Items Can Be Recycled?

Get more from Goodful on Instagram and YouTube!

Do You Actually Know If These Items Can Be Recycled?

Get more from Goodful on Instagram and YouTube!

Share This Article