If you have been following me for a while, you know that we purchased a home in Seattle a few months ago! A month or so after we moved in, we received our trash bill. I had a panic attack and swore it couldn’t be accurate – lets just say, it was more than an average monthly car payment!! Turns out that trash in Seattle is EXPENSIVE, and after doing some research, I understand why. Trash can be detrimental for the environment and “easily” preventable (I say “easily” because in the beginning it takes a lot of effort learn what to do/not do).
So, with the price of trash being so high (both economically and environmentally) I want to make more of a concerted effort to recycle! I honestly did not use recycling bins until I arrived in Seattle four years ago (they either weren’t available or simply not promoted where I grew up) so this is a learning curve for me. Props to you if you are already recycling savvy (aka you do not need to read any further!) but for those of us who are still learning, here is a QUICK overview!
NOTE: The information below is heavily focused on the Seattle Public Utilities guidelines – make sure to check your local guidelines if you are not in the Seattle area!
Paper
| Product | Process |
| Gift Wrap | Check the composition of the gift wrap prior to disposal – many wraps have a coating that does not allow them to be recycled! (Note: Seattle allows shiny plastic coating on recyclables) |
| Cardboard | Make sure to break down any boxes |
| Magazines, newspapers, envelopes, etc. | Recyclable! |
Batteries
| Product | Process for Recycling |
| Dry-Cell Batteries = (9-volt, D, C, AA, AAA), mercuric-oxide (button, some cylindrical and rectangular), silver-oxide and zinc-air (button), and lithium (9-volt, C, AA, coin, button, rechargeable) batteries | Look for in-store or community collection bins to recycle |
Plastics
| Product | Process for Recycling |
| All Plastics | Everything should be empty, clean, and dry! |
| Plastic Bottles, Containers & Jugs | Empty, clean, dry and no loose caps |
| Loose lids | Must be 3 inches or wider to place in recycling (Seattle) |
| Single Plastic Bags | Not allowed in recycling bins (Seattle) |
| Small plastic containers (3in or less) | Not allowed in recycling bins (Seattle) |
| Empty Toxic Containers (such as motor oil) | Not allowed in recycling bins (Seattle) |
| Foam Containers | Not allowed in recycling bins (Seattle) |
Did you know: there is a symbol at the bottom of plastic containers that tells what kind of plastic it is made out of? Check the symbol with the list of plastics that your recycling program accepts before you toss it in the bin! I have included a helpful chart below from epa.gov:
Glass
| Product | Process Process for Recycling |
| Glass Bottles | Must be cleaned first |
| Jars | Must be cleaned first |
Metal
| Product | Process |
| Food & Drink Cans | Must be cleaned/dry first |
Where Does It Go? Flyer – Seattle
This flyer (linked here) has helped me SO much because I am a visual person. I printed this out and posted it above my trash can so that I can easily refer to it when I need to!
I hope that this brief overview makes you think twice about what container you need to use when you go to “throw something away” – I know I will!
~McKenna
Acknowledgements:
https://www.epa.gov/recycle/how-do-i-recycle-common-recyclables
https://www.seattle.gov/utilities/services/recycling/recycle-at-home/where-does-it-go—flyer
https://www.seattle.gov/utilities/services/recycling