Items you Never Thought to Recycle

I will tell you that I was very disappointed in the lack of quality online government resources I found. For an issue as important as the environment, I had to search for hours just to complete this simple list.

Incredibly obvious items are left off this list.

• Auto
  • Vehicle Tires: “North America still faces a backlog of hundreds of millions of old tires, quickly piling up outside filling stations and in backyards near you. The EPA estimates that 290 million scrap tires are generated annually, representing two percent of all solid waste, and that some 265 million are sitting in stockpiles right now.”
  • Motor Oil
    
  • Cars, boats, ATVs, etc. 

• Electronics:
  • Monitors
  • Printers and Print Cartridges: Many of the major manufacturers offer recycling programs in which users can return empty cartridges. The used cartridges are separated and then either recycled or disposed of.
  • Cables: Ha! Nothing! This kills me. Who wants to start a business?
  • iPod: Apple’s commitment to responsible environmental citizenship includes ensuring that an iPod is properly disposed of at the end of its useful life. The recycling program covers your iPod or any cell phone — regardless of the manufacturer or model. 
• Household items: This list will most likely be long…
  • Old CDs or DVDs
  • Plastic Utensils
  • Shoes
  • Drywall – Are you tearing out walls or finishing your basement? Well, that scrap drywall can be recycled!
  • Appliances – Do you have an old oven, refrigerator, stove or freezer and appliance repair is out of the question? Check out ARCA -the Appliance Recycling Center. If they won’t take it, they can tell you who can!.
  • Clothing Hangers – This is a highly recyclable item but I could not find a solid site that I’m comfortable sending you to. Check with your local city manager or government.
  • Eyeglasses
  • Foam Packaging
  • Paint
  • Carpeting 
• Other Ways of Recycling:
  • Old Jeans
  • CFL Bulbs 

Guys – the point of this is to show you that you can recycle just about anything. When in doubt, do a little research before you add to a landfill.