Have you made a resolution to live more sustainably and reduce waste in 2021? Products and brands may market their goods and packaging as "green" but in reality, the benefits may not be so clear. Here are some common recycling myths:
The recycling symbol means the item can be recycled - FALSE. The triangle chasing arrow symbol we all associate with recyclability is actually not regulated. A manufacturer can plop that icon on anything. Sometimes, items will have that symbol followed by tiny print: "only where facilities exist" meaning it is likely a specialty type of material that a regular recycling facility may not be able to handle.
To-go coffee cups and juice cartons are recyclable - FALSE. Typically, these items have a plastic lining (that's what keeps the liquid from soaking through the paper), which makes these products hard to recycle and also not desirable for composting. Additionally, these items often have drink residue (or often still half of a cup of coffee!) in them when tossed in the bin, which can contaminate clean and dry recyclable material like office paper and cardboard...
