Recycling: 6 Things You Need to Know

Curbside recycling has been around for over 30 years and has become a staple in our daily lives. We see those blue or green recycling bins everywhere – at home, in our schools, and at work. But even if recycling feels like second nature, there are some surprising facts that many of us might not know. In this episode, host Rose Daily and guest Todd Bollenbach discuss 6 things every consumer needs to know about recycling, including exploring the impact of wish cycling and revealing the meaning behind the small numbers on the bottom of plastic contains (news flash - they're not actually recycling numbers!).

Pellitteri Waste Systems: https://www.pellitteri.com/

The truth about recycling numbers: https://recyclesmartma.org/2023/05/recyclings-magic-numbers/#:~:text=The%20numbers%20on%20the%20bottom,indicate%20whether%20something%20is%20recyclable.

(02:04) "Recycling Numbers" are not what they seem!

(06:11) Which plastics are typically recyclable?

(08:30) Recycling contamination rates

(09:40) Wishcycling 101

(12:42) Top 7 wishcycled items nationally

(17:30) To crush or not to crush

(24:36) Hauler vs Processor vs Recycler

(26:46) Which materials are infinitely recyclable?

(30:10) Recycling & downcycling plastics

(35:38) Energy consumption of recycling