4 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Recycle

Let's be real, we've all turned to Google when holding an item in our hand and asked, can I recycle this?

Recycling is a fantastic way to help the environment. In fact, it's one of the easiest ways to have a positive impact on the world around us.

However, it's also easy to overlook certain items even though they can be recycled. So what can you do with all those things you didn't know you could recycle? Well it turns out, quite a bit.

Before you toss those items in the dump, check out this list of 4 things you probably didn’t know you could recycle and where to recycle them.

CD's & DVD's

Gone are the days of renting DVD's from Blockbuster and buying CD's to hear the latest music, leaving us with a collection of discs that no longer serve a purpose.

Placing old discs in the trash is not a great option as they do not decompose in landfills.

Instead, old discs can be sent to recycling facilities where they are melted into a low grade of raw plastic that can be used in the automotive and building materials industries.

Next time you come across some old CD's or DVD's, drop them off at Best Buy or London Drugs to be recycled properly!

Batteries

When your batteries run out of power, don’t rush to throw them away! Give them a second chance at a good life. When old batteries are recycled, they are broken apart into plastic, acid, and heavy metal.

The plastic is broken down into pellets which are sold to the manufacturer of battery cases. The lead is also sent to battery manufacturers once melted and used in the production of new batteries. Sulfuric acid is neutralized and turned into water which is then released into the public sewer system.

Batteries can be easily recycled at many retailers including Staples, London Drugs and Canadian Tire.

Markers

While the marker barrel and cap are recyclable, not all parts of the marker are. The marker components are securely sealed during manufacturing, so it is not recommended to take apart the marker on your own.

Instead, drop it off at Staples to be properly recycled!

Old markers are converted into wax compounds for asphalt and roofing shingles. Crayola products can also be returned to the company ColorCycle to be disposed of properly.

Coffee Pods

There is an upside to your addiction to single shot coffee capsules: they are actually a more sustainable way of drinking espresso than any other method of making coffee.

Instead of throwing each capsule into the trash, find out how the coffee brand you drink collects coffee pods to be recycled.

Nespresso offers a recycling bag with purchase where the pods are returned to a recycling facility. The coffee grounds are separated from the aluminum which are then composted and the aluminum is recycled.

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Most people know the basics such as paper and plastic when it comes to recycling,  but there are many items that when recycled properly, can be turned into something new! However, if you don't know where to take these items, you will end up with trash that won't decompose in landfills.

If you aren’t sure where to recycle certain items, contact your local municipality or visit the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council Waste Reduction Hub for options on where to recycle, repair, donate or compost certain items.

Anything important we missed? Shoot us an email and let us know! Hello@hyon.ca

Thanks for reading and always remember to think before you throw it in the trash!

- Kate