Welcome back, recyclers! Last week in Part 1, we covered some of the most common recycling questions—from the basics of “what is recycling” to whether bubble wrap belongs in your blue bin (spoiler: it doesn’t).
This week, we’re back with Part 2: six more of the most popular “what can you recycle?” questions. Some of these answers may surprise you. Let’s jump in!
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“What Can You Recycle?” – Your Top FAQs, Continued
If you’ve ever stood over your recycling bin holding a greasy pizza box in one hand and a shiny piece of foil in the other, wondering “is this okay?”, you’re not alone. Everyone has questions about recycling everyday items—and the good news is, there are clear answers. Here’s what you need to know about six of the trickiest household items.
How Do You Recycle Fluorescent Bulbs?
Fluorescent bulbs are energy-efficient, but when their light finally goes out, don’t just toss them in the trash. These bulbs contain small amounts of mercury, which can be harmful to the environment if they end up in a landfill.
Instead, they need to be recycled through special collection programs. In the Tacoma area, the Household Hazardous Waste Facility accepts fluorescent bulbs and tubes for safe handling. Some retailers like Home Depot or Lowe’s also run collection programs for compact fluorescents (CFLs).
Is Glass Recyclable?
Yes—glass bottles and jars are 100% recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without losing strength or quality. A single glass bottle could come back as another bottle over and over again. That’s like reincarnation, but for your salsa jar.
But not all glass makes the cut. Items like mirrors, ceramics, light bulbs, and tempered window glass can’t go in your curbside bin because they melt at different temperatures and can contaminate the recycling stream.
In Tacoma, you can put clean glass bottles and jars into your curbside bin or take them to designated drop-off locations. Just make sure you rinse them first—nobody likes discovering week-old pasta sauce inside the recycling cart.
Is Wrapping Paper Recyclable?
Holidays and birthdays often leave us with piles of wrapping paper. The big question: can it go in the recycling? The answer depends.
- Yes: Wrapping paper that’s plain, uncoated, or decorated with ink is recyclable.
- No: Anything metallic, glittery, laminated, or covered in tape and bows.
Here’s a pro tip: the “scrunch test.” If you ball it up and it stays scrunched, it’s likely recyclable. If it pops back open like plastic film would, toss it in the trash. How easily the paper rips is also an indication of whether it’s laminated or not. If you can’t tell whether it’s plain paper and the packaging doesn’t say, just throw it away rather than risk contaminating the recycling system.
Want to go even greener? Reuse gift bags, or wrap presents in recyclable kraft paper and jazz them up with reusable ribbons. Mother Earth will appreciate the thoughtfulness.
Can You Recycle Pizza Boxes?
The great pizza box debate! Every year, Americans eat about 3 billion pizzas—that’s a lot of boxes to deal with. So, where do they go?
The cardboard from pizza boxes is recyclable, but grease and food contamination are the problem. Grease-soaked cardboard can clog up the recycling process. The rule of thumb:
- Clean lid/top? Recycle it.
- Greasy bottom? Compost or trash it.
You can even tear off the clean sections and recycle those separately. That way, you still give part of the box a second life.
Do Drink Cans Go in Recycling or Trash?
This one’s easy: recycling, always! Aluminum cans are infinitely recyclable, and recycling just one can saves enough energy to power a TV for three hours. (So, in a way, your recycling habit is powering your Netflix binge.)
Yet, despite being one of the most recyclable materials on earth, about $1.2 billion worth of aluminum cans end up in U.S. landfills every year. That’s billions—with a “B.” Imagine all the wasted energy (and lost Netflix binges).
In Tacoma, Sutter Metals is your best stop for aluminum can recycling. We make sure your cans get properly processed, and we even pay you for them. So yes, your recycling habit might actually fund your next pizza night.
Is Aluminum Foil Recyclable?
Yes—aluminum foil is also recyclable, as long as it’s clean. Food-contaminated foil is tough to recycle, but if you rinse or wipe it down, it’s good to go.
The best approach is to collect foil until you have a ball about the size of a baseball—this makes it easier for recycling facilities to handle. Bring clean foil along with your aluminum cans to Sutter Metals, and we’ll ensure it gets recycled responsibly.
Fun fact: recycling aluminum saves about 95% of the energy compared to making new aluminum products. So whether it wrapped your baked potato or lined your cookie sheet, don’t throw it away—recycle it instead.
Still Got Questions? Learn More and Get Started at Sutter Metals
We hope this two-part series has answered your biggest recycling mysteries. From pizza boxes to aluminum foil, recycling the right way makes a big difference for the environment.
At Sutter Metals, we focus on what we do best: metal recycling, aluminum can recycling, and electronics recycling. We make the process easy, rewarding, and environmentally responsible.
So whether you’ve got a pile of soda cans, an old blender, or a drawer full of outdated electronics, bring them to Sutter Metals. Together, we’ll keep valuable materials in use and cut down on waste.