Create a Home Recycling Station

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A covered recycling system like this three-bin organizer keeps recyclables clutter-free in a mud room or under the sink. Photo courtesy of Organize.com. As communities grapple with the expense and environmental challenge of processing garbage, recycling has become a key solution. Although it’s not new, more materials can be recycled and more towns offer curbside pickup. The problem is that multiple bins can overflow as containers and papers collect over the week. As with any organizing task, dealing with recyclables takes planning. Luckily, there are more ways than ever to sort whatever your community recycles, including newspapers, cardboard, bottles, cans, plastics, glass and more. Benefits of Recycling The average American discards seven and a half pounds of garbage every day, much of it recyclable, according to the National Recycling Coalition (NRC). With landfill space at a premium and growing demand for recycled products as raw materials, recycling as much rubbish as possible is required in a growing number of towns across the country. Recycling is an extremely environmentally friendly enterprise. Often, recycled materials cost less for manufacturers; using recycled aluminum cans requires 95 percent less energy than using virgin aluminum, for example, according to the NRC. Recycling reduces greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution, conserves natural resources, protects wildlife and reduces the need for landfills and combustors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the NRC. Newspapers can pile up—and slip and slide. This basket keeps papers neat and tidy until you can get them to the recycling center. If you don't have curbside pickup, organizing experts recommend putting your monthly recycling drop-off on your calendar. Photo courtesy of Organize.com. Assess Your Town's Recycling Rules Recycling regulations and options vary by area and are still in flux as waste management costs rise and recycling options increase. Even if you already recycle, check your municipality's recyclables list because it may have grown longer or changed. Your town's approach to recycling will determine how to collect and sort your recyclables. If you have curbside pickup, as more and more do, you may or may not have to sort by type, such as glass, plastic, aluminum and paper. To make it easier, many towns are allowing “commingling” in which you put all materials in one bin. While glass and aluminum can generally be recycled into the same-quality material, plastics are less hardy. Most will be turned into different materials like fleece or ingredients in composites. Plus, not all plastics are created equal. Most containers have a recycling logo with a number from 1 through 7 stamped inside. Almost all recycling programs accept 1s; fewer take 7s.

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