Most items put in recycling bins are deemed “unmarketable” and would not actually be recycled if there is no expected buyer of the recycled items. This is often for a variety of reasons although generally, paper, plastics, glass, and metals are deemed recyclable into new products by the customers of recycling facilities.

Contamination: Plastics (bagging) that bundle contents may accumulate liquids or other contaminants that compromise already sorted and clean recyclables processed by facility employees. These bags, when opened, may also introduce non-recyclable items into sorted materials.

Business Efficiency: If the expense to sort recycling inputs exceeds the revenue a recycling facility can get from an end-user buyer of processed recyclables, it’s deemed to not make business sense for that facility.

Type of Materials: Some materials, especially plastics, are film-thin. Thinner materials get tangled in equipment that sorts recyclables. The nature of certain plastics is such that they cannot be mixed to create new products. Plastic dyes, toxic aspects of certain melted plastics, and other factors such as plastic thickness make certain plastics non-recyclable.

Remember to manage waste in order to produce less of it and to choose products with less packaging that gets discarded. When ready to recycle, ensure that recyclables are empty and rinsed clean in order to avoid contamination. Remember that if recyclables are put in your regular trash bin, or if you bag recyclables and put them in the recycling bin, they are likely taken to a landfill and not recycled.