Myths surrounding recycling have existed since curbside recycling became common in the 1970s. These 17 myths are exaggerated or untrue, but many Americans still believe them, leading to more items headed for landfills.
All Plastics Are Recyclable
Plastics for Change explains that “in principle, almost all plastic can be recycled,” but “in practice, there are a variety of different barriers that can undermine this process.” Items that include multiple types and layers of plastic are difficult to separate, making recycling costly, and plastics that have food on them can also be rejected.
Recycling Paper Always Saves Trees
Recycling paper and cardboard reduces the demand for virgin pulp from trees, protecting forests, and most paper is recycled in America. However, billions of trees are still cut down annually to meet global demand, much more than recycling saves.
Biodegradable Products Are Good for Composting
Many Americans are unaware of the difference between biodegradable and compostable plastics. All compostable plastics are biodegradable, but not all biodegradable plastics are compostable. Biodegradable plastics should be recycled, and compostable plastics should be put in your compost bin.
Caps and Lids Shouldn’t Be Recycled
Some people throw caps and lids from bottles they recycle into the trash, but most of them can be recycled. Nearly all caps and lids are made from plastic, steel, or aluminum, which can all be recycled, so they should be put in recycling bins.
Recycling Is Pointless if Not Everyone Does It
Not everything is recycled in America, but rates have drastically increased in recent decades, and the technology has improved. Nearly all Americans have access to regular recycling collections, so it’s important to recycle even if others don’t.
Glass Isn’t Infinitely Recyclable
Some people believe that glass degrades over time as it is recycled and that the process can only be repeated a few times. HowStuffWorks explains that it’s “considered infinitely recyclable because you can melt and reform it into new glass products without it losing its purity or quality, no matter how many times you repeat the process.”
Composting Is a Complete Alternative to Recycling
Composting and recycling are both good for the planet by reducing the demand for raw materials and landfills, but they’re different processes. Composting is the natural process where food and other organic materials, not metals, plastics, and paper, decompose into nutrient-rich soil or mulch. Recycling is collecting and processing materials that can’t be composted and turning them into new products.
Recycling Uses More Energy Than It Saves
The energy consumption of the recycling process is usually much less than that of new material production. The American Geosciences Institute explains that, compared to making materials, “recycling often saves energy because the recycled products usually require much less processing to turn them into usable materials.”
Recycling Myths Are the Same Everywhere
Some recycling myths are believed by people worldwide, but different countries have their own misconceptions and capabilities. It’s important to check local guidelines before recycling to avoid throwing away products because of a local myth, such as “products made from multiple materials can’t be recycled.”
It’s Okay to Bag Recyclables
Recyclables shouldn’t be bagged in plastic; they should be put in curbside bins, ready for collection. If you bag them in plastic, the bin collectors may reject them, so check your local guidelines to see which bins take recyclables.
Recyclables Are Always Recycled
The unfortunate reality of recycling in America is that not all of it is recycled. The Guardian points to a Last Beach Cleanup and Beyond Plastics report that “the recycling rate for post-consumer plastic was just 5% to 6% in 2021.” A combination of population growth, consumer preference for single-use plastics, low recycling rates, and countries like China accepting fewer plastic exports leads to most of it entering landfills, “since few US facilities have the capacity to recycle it.”
Shredded Paper Is Easily Recyclable
Not all local recycling programs take shredded paper, but it can be recycled. If your local program accepts shredded paper, put it in a cardboard box and staple it shut. This makes it less likely to make a mess when it’s collected from your bin and increases the chance of it being recycled.
You Can Recycle Items with Food Residue
It may be tempting to skip cleaning recyclables after using them, but that will probably send them to landfills. The EPA explains that “plastic, metal, and glass materials must be empty and rinsed clean of food debris before being recycled.”
Electronics Are Hard to Recycle
Electronics can be easily recycled at thousands of centers nationwide. If your local center doesn’t take electronics, you could donate them or check organizations like Call2Recycle’s website for collection points.
Recycled Products Are of Lower Quality
Recycled products can be high-quality, durable items. Clothing can be recycled into new, high-quality garments that last for years, and glass can be endlessly recycled without losing quality.
Single-Stream Recycling Increases Contamination
Single-stream recycling is the system of placing all recyclables, including aluminum, cardboard, plastic, and glass, in a single bin. It’s not a perfect system; employees and machines can make mistakes that lead to contamination, but it doesn’t necessarily increase it.
You Can Recycle Clothes in the Regular Recycling Bin
Clothes and textiles shouldn’t go in your regular recycling bin. Some states and localities offer better access to clothes recycling than others, so check to see where the nearest center is that accepts textiles.
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