The impact of dirty recycling
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Recycling is a great way to help the environment, reduce waste, and save natural resources. Many of us try to do our part by sorting our rubbish and placing recyclable items into the correct bins. But did you know that putting dirty items in your recycling bin can actually do more harm than good? When food scraps, grease, or liquids are left on recyclable materials, they can ruin entire batches of recycling, making them unusable. Let’s take a closer look at why this happens and how we can avoid it.
How dirty recycling causes problems
Recycling facilities are designed to process clean materials like paper, plastic, glass, and metal. When food, drink, or other substances are left on these materials, they can contaminate the recycling process in several ways:
Ruining paper and cardboard
Paper and cardboard are particularly vulnerable to contamination. If greasy pizza boxes, half-empty coffee cups, or food-stained napkins are mixed in with clean paper, they can make entire loads unusabl...
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