Major Recycling Mistakes Rockford Residents Keep Making

The number of Rockford, Illinois residents recycling is growing every year, but there's one big problem: half of the stuff that's placed in recycling bins is being rejected and sent back to the landfill.

Things Most People Don't Know About Recycling

I will admit that I am not the most knowledgeable when it comes to the dos and don'ts of recycling, but I'm trying to do better.

I've become more mindful about what my family throws away, and I've even been known to take recyclable items out of the garbage can and put them in the recycling bin instead.

All that being said, this week I realized I have been committing some major recycling crimes, and many other Rockford residents are doing it too.

Common Items Not Eligible For Recycling

Most people know that batteries and electronics should never be thrown in the garbage or recycling bin, but what about plastic grocery bags and plastic films?

I always assumed most plastic items were great for recycling, which is mostly true, but some of them can cause more harm than good:

Here are some more common household items that many people don't realize should never be placed in the recycling bin:

• Cardboard pizza boxes
• Food contaminated bottles, jugs, or containers, unless they are thoroughly rinsed and drained first.
• Styrofoam
• Building materials like wood, nails, or screws.
• Loose shredded paper.

Recycling is an important habit we all need to adopt, but for it to be beneficial, we must do it correctly. For more information about recycling practices in Rockford, please visit rockfordil.gov.