It’s sad to consider that of all of the recycled items in a U.S. household, around 32% of them are actually recycled. In many towns and cities, it’s cheaper for those communities to send recyclables to the landfill than it is to properly recycle them.
The EPA estimates that if all recyclables were handled properly, it could create as many as 370,000 jobs. It would reduce greenhouse emissions by 96 million metric tons. Yet, people are often confused by recycling, and that makes it easier to throw things away.
Not everything can be recycled in the wheeled containers either. There are a lot of specialty recyclables that have to be taken to specific facilities. Your old, stained, mattress won’t be picked up by curbside recycling, but it is still recyclable. Here are tips on how to find where to recycle some of the more common specialty recyclables.
Take a Closer Look at Specialty Recycling
Specialty recyclables are items that are not readily recycled in curbside bins. They’re items that are harder to recycle because they’re not accepted by every facility. Sometimes, you have to put in a bit of work to find the right place to bring them. Specialty recycling covers these categories.
Battery Recycling
Batteries can and should be recycled. This includes:
- Alkaline/single-use batteries (9-volt, AA, AAA, C, D, and watch batteries)
- Lithium-ion
- Nickel Cadmium
- Nickel Metal Hydride
- Nickel Zinc
- Small Sealed Lead Acid
You can bring them to your local recycling facility or drop them off at a retailer like Ace Hardware, Lowe’s, or Home Depot. If you have car, mower, or motorcycle batteries to recycle, many auto parts stores recycle them.
Cleaners, Fluids, and Paints Recycling
Never throw away used paint, automotive fluids, household cleaners, and other toxic chemicals. Bring them to an environmental depot or recycling center. Partial cans of paint can be mixed into new colors and resold as full gallons. Cleaners and auto fluids are properly disposed of.
Electronics Recycling
Electronics contain toxic metals, precious metals, and other components like glass and plastic. They should never be thrown away. Cellphones, computers, laptops, tablets, small appliances, printers, copiers, TVs, DVD players, CD players, game systems, and so many other electronic devices need to be properly recycled to reclaim plastic, copper, lead, mercury, gold, silver, etc. for reuse.
As part of electronics recycling, you should also recycle CFLs, fluorescent, and other light bulbs. Check with your local recycling facility to see if there are any rules on recycling these bulbs. CFL bulbs may need special handling to ensure they don’t break and release mercury into the environment.
Furniture Recycling
When you have furniture that you no longer need, donate it to Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Habitat for Humanity when possible. Someone needs that furniture and appreciates the discount. You can also try selling it on your own.
Broken furniture doesn’t need to end up in the trash. Upcycling is a growing trend where broken pieces are turned into new items. An old military chest could be refinished and turned into a coffee table. Old picture frames could be added to plywood sheets to make breakfast trays.
Mattress Recycling
About 90% of the materials in mattresses are recyclable, but few people do. Most mattresses end up in landfills. Mattresses contain wood, foam, cotton, and steel. Mattresses can be difficult to recycle, but it’s worth seeing if there is an organization in your area that does. Many states have their own programs that you can find by searching for mattress recycling on Recycle Nation’s recycling search feature.
Textiles Recycling
Textiles include clothing, blankets, sheets, curtains, etc. If they’re clean, not damaged, and still in reasonable shape, Goodwill and the Salvation Army are two organizations that take donations for resale. You can also use platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and Freecycle to see if anyone local could use some free clothing.
Tire Recycling
Worn tires do not have to go in the trash. Instead, they can be ground into particles and mixed with asphalt for new pavement.
Recycle Correctly and Successfully
The best way to ensure your specialty recyclables are processed correctly is by following the facility’s or company’s guidelines. Some of the most common rules are:
- Do not remove batteries from laptops or phones before shipping. They’re grounded when they’re in the device.
- Ensure any hazardous fluids have labels identifying the contents.
- Make sure fluids, paint, and other hazardous materials have tight lids to avoid leaks and spills.
- Remove cables from electronic devices.
- Remove SIM cards and SD or microSD cards.
- Restore items to factory default settings.
- Wash textiles before bringing them for recycling.
Many facilities ask that you make an appointment or call ahead to ensure they have the space and room. It’s also good to find out about fees in advance and verify that cash is accepted. Many facilities don’t keep cash on hand and only take credit cards and personal checks. Some don’t take credit cards and require cash or checks.
How to Find Specialty Recycling Centers
Here are a few places to try if you have items to recycle that aren’t accepted in your curbside bins.
Best Buy
Best Buy accepts a few electronics from customers each day. Call your nearest Best Buy to find out what the limit is and if there are limits on the brands they accept. Another option is to pay the fee of just under $200 and have a Best Buy truck come to your home for electronics recycling.
Recycle two large electronics and unlimited smaller ones at once. There is a list of items that are not accepted, but many common items like laptops, tablets, printers, monitors, desktops, and cell phones are accepted.
ERI
Pay a fee for a box that you can fill with electronics and ship to ERI for processing. ERI will evaluate the item, take any parts that could be used to repair electronics that still have value, and responsibly recycle following R2, NAID, ISO, e-Stewards, AICPA, and AAR 360 guidelines.
Goodwill
Goodwill is a great place for recycling gently used items like furniture, electronics, books, clothing, bedding, kitchen appliances, and much more. Items are resold and funds are used for employee training and advancement programs at more than two dozen skills training and employment centers.
H&M
Bring your unwanted clothing and textiles to H&M. They must be bagged and dropped in a recycling box within the store or brought to the counter where you’ll be given a coupon to use on the purchase of new clothes. Items can be any brand and in any condition. They’ll either be resold as secondhand clothing, turned into new items, or broken down into fibers that are used for things like insulation.
Nike
Not every Nike store accepts used Nike footwear, but the pilot programs are underway in cities across the U.S. Bring your used sneakers, clothing, and other footwear to a store to be properly recycled.
The North Face
If you have used North Face clothing, footwear, and accessories that you no longer want, bring them to North Face. You’ll get a $10 shopping credit if you’re an XPLR Pass member. If you’re not, you can sign up for free and get the credit.
Patagonia
Recycle your worn Patagonia clothing at your nearest Patagonia store. They need to be washed before you recycle them.
Staples
Drop off some of your used electronics and empty printer cartridges at your local Staples. Policies vary from one area to the next, but most stores accept up to seven items per day, per customer. If items have value, you might get store credit towards your next purchase. Items go to ERI for sustainable recycling.
Try Recycle Nation’s Search.Find.Recycle tool. Choose the item you need to recycle and enter your ZIP Code. In seconds, you’ll have a list of facilities that accept that item, as well as contact information and hours. It’s the easiest way to find exactly what you need to recycle.
