Although you might already be an expert at reducing, reusing, and recycling, you might be surprised to discover that there is even more that you can keep out of the landfill. By expanding your knowledge, you can contribute a green earth by helping turn your waste into something beneficial. Before you toss something out, find out if your local recycling program accepts the following items.
Once your toothbrush is worn out, it’s possible that the plastic could still get a second life. In many cases, toothbrushes can go into part of the material for new plastic bottles, recycled plastic lumber, or even melted into plastic bags.
Although you might not be able to toss these into the general recycling bin, many facilities collect batteries separately for recycling. Although recycling an individual battery seems like it hardly has an impact, the effect is significant. Recycling batteries helps protect our earth’s limited supply of metal and keeps potentially harmful chemicals out of our soil and groundwater.
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Lightbulbs might seem impossible to recycle, but actually, many recycling locations accept used bulbs. The recycling process helps keep lightbulb components like mercury from contaminating the environment. The bulb itself is useful too; both the glass and metal can be used for recycled products.
CDs can be repurposed or recycled into new items. Don’t forget to recycle CD cases as well. The plastic from both the discs and cases can be cleaned and melted into valuable things like street lights or car parts. If the discs are just scratched, you could try donating them to thrift stores or music shops to be cleaned and resold. You might even be able to donate them to local artists or schools that can use them for jewelry, sculptures or other artwork.
Be sure to contact your local recycling program to find out where to bring your worn-out items. By taking a little extra time to think before throwing something away, you can make our planet a little happier and healthier.
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