When it comes to commercial and residential trash pick up services, it’s a good idea to consider choosing a trash pick up service that offers recycling. Think of how much energy you can save by choosing a trash removal company that will help you with your recycling goals and green initiatives. According to the EPA website, one ton of recycled paper equates to the consumption of 322 gallons of fuel. In addition, recycling 1 ton of aluminum cans can save 152 million BTU in energy.
Whether you need a roll-off dumpster rental or wish to use trash and recycling services weekly, you can make the green commitment to recycling by working with your trash pick up service. You just need to learn how to organize and separate your recyclables from the refuse.
What’s Recyclable and What’s Trash?
When organizing recyclables, group them so they include glass, plastic bottles, aluminum cans, plastic grocery bags, and magazines. You can figure how much you can save when you recycle each of these items by using an iWARM (individual Waste Reduction Model) tool or widget on the EPA website.
Items that can be recycled include:
- Aluminum cans
- Plastic bottles
- Phonebooks
- Junk mail
- Cardboard boxes
- Plastic containers
- Steel cans
- Tin cans
- Beer bottles
- Soda bottles
- Wine bottles
- Clean food containers
Different recycling services offer recycling for different materials so make sure to reach out to your trash pick up service for more information.
Do I Need to Remove Caps or Lids?
You don’t have to remove the caps or straws on juice cartons or similar containers, nor do you need to flatten them. You can have your recycling and trash pick up service take them as-is. You can also recycle kitchen plastics for residential trash pickup. Kitchen plastics represent containers, such as cottage cheese cups, single-serving yogurt cups, or large bottles used for syrup. Don’t worry about the lids. You don’t have to throw them away. They can be recycled, too. Kitchen plastics may be used to make an array of products, including handles for razors and toothbrushes and new kitchenware, such as plastic colanders, measuring cups, and cutting boards.
According to the EPA, people only recycle 30% of the 75% of materials that can be repurposed. Making recycling a regular practice can make a big difference. If you want to make an impact at your home or business, the trash pick up services of Opdenaker can accommodate your recycling objectives. To learn more about our commercial and residential track and recycling pick up services, contact Opdenaker today.