Things You Didn’t Know You Could Recycle

Recycling newspaper, soda cans, and bottles has probably become second nature for you, but why stop there? Innovative companies are coming up with ingenious ways to recycle even more consumer products, so it’s easy to add a few more items to your family’s recycling repertoire. Check out some of the surprising recyclables you probably have in your home and how to keep them out of the landfill.

• Athletic Shoes – Nike collects worn-out athletic shoes (all brands) and grinds them up to make surfaces for playgrounds, tracks, tennis courts, and more. You can drop off your shoes at Nike stores and other collection points or mail them directly to Nike’s recycling center.
• Drink Pouches – Terracycle collects drink pouches, potato chip bags, and other food containers to turn into colorful new products like backpacks and lunch bags. Even cooler, school groups and nonprofits can collect the recyclable items and sell them to Terracycle as a fundraiser.
• CFLs – We’ve all heard that compact fluorescent bulbs are long-lasting and energy efficient, but they also contain toxic mercury. So what do you do with them when they finally do burn out? Drop them off at your nearest Home Depot, and every part from the mercury to the metal end cap will be recycled.
• Cooking Oil – If you are one of the growing number of people experimenting with biodiesel vehicles, you are probably already saving your cooking oil to convert into this clean-burning alternative to fossil fuels. Otherwise, check Earth 911 for programs in your community that will be glad to receive the remnants of last night’s fish fry.
• Crayons – Does your kids’ art supply stash need culling? Those broken and stubby crayons can find new life with Crazy Crayons, a company that melts down unwanted crayons to create multi-colored crayons in an endless variety of fun shapes.
• Cosmetic Containers – Shampoo bottles usually have a recycling code imprinted in the ubiquitous triangular symbol, but what about other cosmetic containers, like that lipstick tube? Origins accepts empty containers from any brand of cosmetics for recycling—just drop them off at any Origins store or department store counter.
• Water Filters – Filtering your own water at home is much greener than buying bottled water, and Brita is making it even greener. Send in your used Brita pitcher filters and they will be recycled thanks to a partnership with Preserve, a company that makes great (and recyclable!) toothbrushes, razors, and kitchenware from recycled plastic.

Of course, this is only a partial list—what other surprising recyclables have you discovered? Share in the comments below!

(Photo credit: Karin Beil)