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February 2016 Residential Communications Resources
Topic: Know What to Throw Guide
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TITLE:Get to Know the Know What to Throw Guide
TEASER
You can recycle more than you think! RethinkRecycling.com has new resources to make you a more successful recycler, including updated material pages and the newly revisedKnow What to Throw Guide.
BLOG/ARTICLE
Minnesotans are among the best recyclers in the country, and our region strongly believes in recycling. But there are still people who don’t recycle. RethinkRecycling.com has an updated, downloadable and easy-to-use guide to help pros and novices recycle more at home, at work or on the go. Download the Know What to Throw Guide and recycle with confidence!
Using the Guide
Share the Know What to Throw Guide with friends and family living in the Twin Cities to keep everyone up to date with what can be recycled in home collection programs. Use the guide in conjunction with free downloadable signs at your office or business to make recycling even easier for your coworkers and customers. You can even make your own signs with items more specific to your workplace!
Recycling at Home
Do you know what can go in your home recycling bin or cart? You can recycle more than you think! For example, a lot of the food in your home comes in recyclable containers. Be sure to recycle them!
What is Recyclable?
Plastics
You can recycle water, soda and juice bottles. Empty the containers and give them a good rinse. Milk and juice jugs, ketchup and salad dressing bottles, and even yogurt and pudding cups, can all be recycled. Just leave caps and lids on plastics.
Paper and Cardboard
Most paper is recyclable, including mail, office and school papers, magazines, catalogs, newspapers, and phone books. Cardboard and paper packaging can also be recycled, just break down boxes.
Glass and Metal
Glass bottles, jars, and metal food and beverage cans are all recyclable. You don’t have to remove labels - just remove the lids and rinse them out. But remember: don’t crush cans before recycling.
What Can’t be Recycled Curbside?
Some items can’t be recycled at home, but they are accepted by other programs. Plastic bags are recyclable, but not in your home bins since they can get tangled in the machinery at recycling facilities. They can be recycled at many retail stores or It’s in the Bag drop-off locations. You can also check Plasticfilmrecyling.org for other drop-off location options.
The following paper items should also be kept out of your curbside bins: paper plates and cups, paper soiled with food, napkins, and gift wrap. However, it’s worth seeing if you can compost items that had food on them.
Glass items, like drinking glasses, ceramic dishes, vases, windows, and mirrors can’t be recycled. Try to reuse or donate these things to keep them out of the waste stream.
Alternatives for Hazardous Waste
Many items in your home are considered household hazardous waste. They can’t be placed in your home recycling or garbage bin and should be disposed of at other locations.
Check with your county’s drop-off facility to see if they accept cans or jars that contained hazardous products like motor oil, paint, paint thinner, automotive fluids, or aerosol cans. Light bulbs can’t be recycled in home recycling programs, but fluorescent bulbs can be brought to drop-off locations.
Resources for Better Recycling
Rethink Recycling offers a variety of resources to help you recycle at home, work and wherever else you go. The Know What to Throw Guide provides an easy snapshot of what can be recycled in your home recycling program. The materials pages in the resident recycling guide are newly updated and aim to help you manage many items in your home. There are resources for all sorts of materials including batteries, electronics and propane tanks. Check with your city recycling coordinator if you have any questions.
About RethinkRecycling.com
Minnesotans recycle over 2.3 million tons each year of paper, glass, metals, plastics, yard waste, and more. This creates new products such as cans, cardboard, newspaper, carpet, clothing, furniture, and much more. RethinkRecycling.com, provided by the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board, is your go-to guide for waste and recycling in the Twin Cities.
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Social Media:
Facebook:
1)You can recycle more than you think! Rethink Recycling has new resources to help you recycle. Check them out on the blog!
BLOG LINK
2)Help Minnesota remain one of the top recyclers in the country by passing on our Know What to Throw Guide to family and friends living in the Twin Cities.
3)Need help making recycling even easier in your home or business? Try making your own signs with customized items that apply to you using our Signmaker tool!
4)A lot of the food in your home comes in recyclable containers, but some things have to be kept out of your home recycling bin. There is more information and resources on the blog.
BLOG LINK
5)Use signage for your business to help differentiate between recycling, trash and organics to make sure everything ends up in the right place.
6)Minnesotans are great recyclers, but we could still be doing more. Use Recycling 101 to make sure you know what you can recycle. It’s more than you think!
7)Cans and bottles are recyclable! Empty the containers and give them a good rinse. Leave caps and lids on plastic containers.
8)Get to know the Know What to Throw Guide on the blog and use the guide to help you recycle more.
BLOG LINK
9)Most paper is recyclable, whether it is mail, office or school papers, magazines, catalogs, newspapers, or phone books.
10)Cardboard and paper packaging can be recycled. Be sure to break down the boxes to save room in your bin. This also helps the sorting process at facilities.
11)Many types of glass containers can be recycled, including food jars and beverage bottles with lids removed.Keep drinking glasses, mugs and windows out of your bins.
12)Download and share the Know What to Throw Guide and make sure you recycle more at home and work.
13)There are lots of great resources from Rethink Recycling, including guide and signs. Learn more on the blog.
BLOG LINK
14)There are many things that can’t be recycled in your home bin like plastic shopping bags that cause problems for facilities. Be sure to find alternative locations to recycle them.
15)Some items can’t be recycled because they are soiled with food. See if you can use those items in your backyard composting program.
16)Items like batteries, electronics, propane tanks, fluorescent bulbs, paint, automotive fluid, aerosol cans and more are considered household hazardous waste. Find ways to recycle them or bring them to household hazardous waste locations.
17)Need to get rid of something? Check our newly updated resident guide for resources on a wide variety of items.
18)There is a ton of information and helpful resources included in the blog this month. What resource will you be using in your home or business?
BLOG LINK
SUB TOPICS
19)Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Cut down on waste with some eco-friendly alternatives and add some green to your pink and red day.
20)Have you ever considered ways to reduce the environmental impact of your pet’s carbon paw print? Check out these ideas.
Twitter:
1)You can recycle more than you think! Rethink Recycling has new resources to help. Check them out on the blog!
BLOG LINK
2)Help MN remain one of the top recyclers in the country by using and passing on our Know What to Throw Guide.
3)Make recycling even easier in your home or business with your own customized signs using our Signmaker tool!
4)Many food containers are recyclable. Learn more on the blog!
BLOG LINK
5)Use signage for your business to help differentiate between recycling, trash and organics.
6)Minnesotans are great recyclers, but we could still do more. Use Recycling 101 so you know what you can recycle.
7)Cans and bottles are recyclable! Empty the containers and give them a good rinse. Leave caps and lids on plastics.
8)Get to know the Know What to Throw Guide on the blog and be sure to download and use the guide!
BLOG LINK
9)Most paper is recyclable whether it's mail, office or school papers, magazines, catalogs, newspapers, or phone book
10)Break down cardboard and paper packaging to save room in your bin and help the sorting process at facilities.
11)Many types of glass containers can be recycled with lids removed, but keep drinking glasses window glass out of your bin.
12)Download and share the Know What to Throw Guide and recycle more at home and work.
13)There are great resources from Rethink Recycling including guides and signs. Learn more on the blog.
BLOG LINK
14)Keep plastic shopping bags out of your home recycling bin. Find alternative locations to recycle them.
15)Some items can’t be recycled because they are soiled with food. Use those items in your backyard composting bin.
16)Items labeled caution, warning, danger, or poison are considered household hazardous waste. Find where to dispose of them safely.
17)Need to get rid of something? Check our newly updated materials pages and resources on a wide variety of items.
18)There is a ton of information and helpful resources included in the blog this month. What resource will you be using in your home or business?
BLOG LINK
SUB TOPICS
19)Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Cut down on waste with some eco-friendly alternatives to show you care.
20)Have you ever considered ways to reduce the environmental impact your pets have? Reduce your pet’s carbon paw print.
These materials were provided by the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board (SWMCB) as a part of its Rethink Recycling outreach efforts. Please help us track the use of Rethink Recycling materials by sending an e-mail to with a description of how the materials were used, the date(s) published, and the estimated reach.