Jeremy Walters | Source | Sustainability Ambassador at Republic Services

The biggest mistake people make when it comes to recycling is not doing it. There is a myth that plastic doesn’t actually get recycled but that is incorrect. Rigid plastic containers such as bottles, jugs and tubs are highly recyclable. The only reason these plastic items aren’t getting recycled is because they’re not being put in your curbside recycling bin.

It is important to remember that composting is not the same process as recycling cans, paper and plastic, so never put organic waste in your curbside recycling bin or vice versa. A common mistake we see people make is placing plastics in their organics bins. Plastic is a major contaminate in the composting process.

While many of us have the best intentions about recycling, we aren’t always doing it right. Many people will toss items their recycling bin, hoping they can be recycled, whether they can or not. This is referred to as 'aspirational recycling' or 'wish-cycling.' Unfortunately, this type of mindset can be detrimental because many of these items end up contaminating perfectly good recyclables and can potentially damage the equipment in recycling facilities or worse, cause harm to employees.