When in Doubt, Throw it Out
A lot of waste items feature the recycle symbol. However, it’s not always environmentally friendly to toss just any recyclable into a nearby blue bin.
When waste is processed at a recycling plant, unsuitable recyclables are often caught by recycle facility sorters and are incinerated or land-filled – which is exactly what would happen if you threw the recyclable into the trash bin, except, this method is more roundabout and expensive. This occurs because different recyclables cannot mix with each other if they are to be repurposed. For example, mixing a small amount of No. 5 plastic into a batch of No. 2 plastic can complicate the mixing process and even create an inferior end product. Sometimes, it can be much worse. A single pound of No. 3 PVC plastic can completely ruin a 10,000 pound batch of No. 1 PET plastic, rendering it unusable and wasted. (source: slate.com)
As such, you must recycle carefully to have the best impact on the environment. Fortunately, this is easy to do at NSU! For lists of what should and should not be recycled on campus, visit NSU’s go green page at www.nova.edu/gogreen.