Almost everyone already recycles, but it's not enough to just separate the garbage, we have to do it properly and we usually don't succeed. Recycling is important
This week, like every May 17th since 2005, has been World Recycling Day and, to commemorate it and do something useful, at
eTítulo we want to review the most common mistakes we usually make when recycling. At this point in the movie, we all know (although some people insist on making excuses) that recycling is extremely important for many reasons, including reducing pollution (which is estimated to be the
direct cause of one in every six premature deaths worldwide each year), saving water, energy, and resources, drastically reducing deforestation and species extinction, because it reduces up to 80% of the space occupied by waste (it should be noted that in the EU alone we generate about 2,500 tons of waste per year), because it creates jobs, etc. The thing is, despite our good intentions (the latest Ecoembes report from 2020 states that 38.9 million people in Spain recycle), we don't do it quite right and there are a series of mistakes we usually make. Let's see them:
Blue container
We all have it imprinted in our minds that paper should be saved because it comes from trees, so we make a great effort to recycle as much as possible, but it turns out that not everything can be saved after its use. Soiled paper or cardboard cannot be recycled, therefore, cardboard pizza boxes full of tomato or grease, used napkins, or anything like that should go in the "rest" or regular trash. The plastic-coated or waxed paper we get at the butcher shop cannot be recycled. This paper always goes in the "rest" container; however, the coffee-to-go cups, once emptied, can be put in the blue container. Milk or juice cartons should not be thrown in this container either because they are not cardboard; they go in the yellow container. Wet wipes, even though they contain cellulose, also go in the "rest" container. And one more thing: paper should be thrown away without a bag (unless it's a paper bag, of course).
Yellow container
Packaging and plastics must be clean in order to be recycled. Here go the aluminum foil, tetra packs, plastic caps, bottle caps, cans, containers, polystyrene trays, plastic hangers, etc., but not toys, a broken plastic pasta strainer, or a scratched CD; toothbrushes or coffee capsules should also not go in this container. All of this should go in the gray or "rest" container, except for coffee capsules, which should be taken to supermarkets that offer collection services.
Green container
In this container, we only put glass, not crystal or porcelain. Therefore, broken glasses, cups, and plates should go in the "rest" container and not in this one. Bottle caps or jar lids should not go here either. And we should not throw glass containers in a plastic bag.
Brown container
Places that have a brown container are fortunate because they can separate organic waste from inorganic waste; therefore, food waste from animal and plant sources goes here, whether it comes from food or gardening. Corks and unused white paper napkins also go in this container. Therefore, used tissues, diapers, sanitary pads, and tampons do not go here, nor do pruning waste or wooden boxes.
Rest
At this point, we already know that this container is for everything that cannot be recycled in any of the other containers, so we just have to think that everything else goes here. It's as simple as that.
Recycling center
In places where there is a recycling center, we can dispose of furniture, mattresses, technology, electrical appliances, light bulbs, batteries, chemicals, oils, paints, aerosols, scrap metal, and similar items. Recycling correctly is simple and within everyone's reach; we just have to make a little effort and not look for excuses.
