5 Things You Can't Recycle

More and more attention is paid to “green” living these days, and looking back a few decades it’s apparent how much things have changed. Solar panels are more attainable, organic food can be found in most markets and recycling at home has become as common as taking out the trash.

But, still, a lot of household waste you’d think is recyclable just isn’t by the towns that manage our waste removal on Long Island. And throwing these things out with the recycling anyway can actually cause a bigger environmental impact than throwing them in the trash since they can contaminate materials or use up energy to sort and cart off to the dump.

So here are five things the town won’t recycle.

1. Yogurt Cups. While an eight-ounce cup of yogurt is a common choice for a quick and healthy breakfast, the plastic used to make them is polypropylene #5, which the towns don’t recycle. Only plastics labeled #1 or #2 are accepted. But if you’re willing to make the effort, Whole Foods has bins for recycling #5 plastics. Riverhead is the only town in the area that accepts all plastics.

2. Cereal Boxes. Yes, the towns recycle paper and cardboard but these thin, wax-coated boxes are part of an in-between paper variety that can’t be recycled. That goes for soda cartons, six-pack holders and hardcover books (unless you rip out the pages and recycle just them).

3. Mirrors. They’re bad luck to break and bad form to send out with the recycling. The coating that makes the mirrored surface actually can contaminate the glass when it’s crushed with the other recycling. Same goes for Pyrex containers, ceramics and drinking glasses. If you need to get rid of those, consider donating first.

4. Toys. This goes back to the first item, but bottom line is if it isn’t made out of #1 or #2 plastic the town won’t recycle it. Most toys aren’t. If they are in good condition, there are plenty of charities, nursery schools and day cares that will try to find a home for old toys. Otherwise, it’s the dump for those one-armed G.I. Joes.

5. Wire Hangers. We’ll skip the obvious Joan Crawford reference here, but you get it. The answer is 'no' when it comes to recycling these. Luckily, many dry cleaners will take them back. At the same time, no recycling pots and pans either.