Items That People Need To Stop Recycling

People break things all the time and that's okay. What's not okay is taking those broken household items and putting them in the recycling bin. That means things like broken ceramics, porcelain, mirrors, light bulbs, cups, wine glasses, plates, and pyrex all have different melting points from one another. Additionally, their chemical composition can be different from recyclable glass and other recyclables and should thus be put in the trash.

Doesn't matter if they've been used or not, baby diapers belong in the trash and not the recycling. That being said there are some compostable diapers that you can keep your eyes out for, but most municipalities aren't going to accept them into their compost piles for obvious reasons. A more eco-friendly solution could be to switch to reusable cloth diapers instead of constantly buying and throwing away new ones. 

This one seems surprising, it's paper, right? Why shouldn't we be able to recycle shredded paper like we do whole paper? Much like the other smaller recyclables on this list, shredded paper can also build up and clog machines at the recycling center, making them more of a problem than anything. So what can you do with it? We recommend adding them to the compost pile or staple a bunch of shredded paper shut in a paper bag before putting it in the recycling.

Even though these disposable coffee cups seem like they should be recyclable - they're not, unfortunately. The inside of these paper cups is lined with a plastic adhesive that makes them liquid-proof while also making them difficult to recycle. Even the plastic tops of these cups may not always be recyclable, best to check first before adding them to the recycling bin. 

Much like with the disposable coffee cups, boxes that are meant to be put in the freezer also have a plastic layer lining the inside and outside of the carton. This is done to prevent freezer burn and while it's useful, it's not great for the environment whatsoever. There are some cities that do still accept them though, but you have to check first before deciding which bin they should be put in.