3 . Recycling is good for our planet, but it can be confusing. Can I recycle plastic bags? What about pizza cartons? Toothpaste tubes? Which bin should I use? There are so many questions, and more than half of Americans are unsure about how to recycle. 1 Here’s a handy four-step guide on how to recycle effectively:
Know what to put in the recycling bin. Keep it simple and focus on the most commonly recycled items, such as paper, glass, aluminum and plastic. 2 Don’t use the recycled symbol as a guide. “The number on the container is really for people to identify the type of resin (树脂). That’s not helpful for the common consumer,” said Cody Marshall, a strategist at nonprofit Recycling Partnership.
3 It is really important to know what you cannot put in your bin. You can always check with your city or at BeRecycled.org. If you live in the US, just plug in your postcode to search. Recycling companies struggle with the same problem items: hoses (软管), cords, needles and clothing, according to Marshall, so don’t put those items in your bin.
Wash or clean items. Do a quick clean to make sure there is no food left in containers before you put them in the bin. 4 Save food for composting (堆肥) in your garden.
Don’t bag it. Unless you live in a place that requires it, like New York City, keep the recyclables lost in the bin. “A lot of the time, it’s not safe for our employees to tear those bags open, or it takes too much time,” said Keller. “ 5 ”
| A．Know what is not recyclable. |
| B．The answers are not hard to find. |
| C．A lot of bagged stuff goes right to the landfill. |
| D．Plastic bags can be used again or returned to grocery stores. |
| E．If you really don’t know if an item is recyclable, then just throw it in the garbage. |
| F．This is really important if you only use one bin because food items could ruin paper. |
| G．Hard plastics like water and soft drink bottles or anything like these can be recycled. |
