MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is offering tips to help families save money, reduce waste and keep recycling and trash workers safe during upcoming holidays.
"We know recycling can be confusing," said Jennifer Semrau, DNR waste reduction and diversion coordinator. "But there are some basic tips people can use to make tackling holiday waste less overwhelming. Knowing the right thing to do with things like batteries and light strings can prevent damage to recycling facilities and keep workers safe."
Many items can be recycled anywhere in Wisconsin. These items, which the state bans from landfills, include:
Be sure containers are empty of liquids and excess gunk and give them a quick rinse. They don't need to be spotless, but they should be mostly clean. Don't crush or flatten cans or bottles going into a curbside recycling cart or container - this makes it harder for equipment at recycling facilities to recognize and properly sort things like aluminum cans.
Check locally for a complete list of what your program accepts, and don't rely on packaging labels. Keep in mind that what you can recycle at a relative's home may be different than what you can recycle at your own.
Some items can cause serious problems at recycling facilities that aren't designed to handle them, including a risk of fire and worker injury. Many of these can be recycled at drop-off sites but should not go in curbside recycling bins or carts. These include:
For more information about what can and can't be recycled, visit the DNR's What to Recycle in Wisconsin webpage.
The organization ReFED estimates that on Thanksgiving alone, 316 million pounds of food is wasted in the United States. This represents more than $556 million of groceries thrown away in a single day.
When this wasted food decomposes in landfills, it will release nearly 5,000 metric tons of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. This is similar to what's emitted by powering 26,000 homes' electricity for a year.
Here are some tips to prevent and reduce food waste at home.
For more details and additional tips, visit the DNR's Reducing Food Waste at Home webpage.