10 Valuable Materials to Recycle from Home

Every home has the power to relieve the landfills from dumps of waste. If only people would learn to recycle and do so the right way.

Based on reports, around 55% of the 220 million tons of American waste ends up in one of the 3,500 plus landfills, which degrade the beauty of the surroundings and impose a negative impact on the environment. Anything that you toss into the trash is an addition to such adverse effects. 

To be part of the solution in regaining the glory of our world and protecting the environment, you should start learning to repurpose old and unused items in your home. It is such a small but significant effort that counts.

Valuable Materials to Recycle from Home

To recycle is to live a sustainable lifestyle. To sort trash is to make money in more ways than one. So here are ten valuable materials that you can find lying around at home and recycle to save Mother Earth and make money simultaneously.


Context

  • Valuable Materials to Recycle from Home
      • Aluminum
      • Steel
      • Plastic
      • Mixed paper
      • Corrugated cardboard
      • Batteries
      • Glass
      • Gadgets
      • Concrete
      • Old Clothing
  • Conclusion


Valuable Materials to Recycle from Home

Aluminum

A valuable yet overlooked material is aluminum, and it is everywhere. Anywhere you look around the house reveals a potential item for aluminum recycling. Beverage cans, aerosol sprayers, foils, and pie tins are just some of the home items you can find. Send these to the local recycling center for some profit and enjoy double benefits as you clear up the clutter in your house.

Recycling aluminum can save over 90% of the energy needed to make an entirely new one. It is also a material that is recycled forever without losing any of its properties. After it is sorted and melted, aluminum can become a new beverage or aerosol can, aluminum foil sheet, and pie tin. The recycling process may also produce vehicle parts for aircraft, automobiles, boats, and bicycles. Other times, it can also make chic cookware.

Suffice to say, aluminum is one material that doesn't deserve space in landfills.

Steel

One of the more renowned materials commonly recycled because it costs a considerable sum is steel. Steel is 100% recyclable. Like aluminum and other metals, it is recycled endlessly without compromising its quality or valuable properties. Found in old vehicles, appliances, and at its most basic, cans.

Once processed, steel forms food cans, computer parts, and vehicle components. It may come in many forms and different classifications, but sorting cannot be that difficult. Steel is significantly recognizable and valued according to its type.

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Plastic

Plastic is one of the most hazardous materials that wreak havoc on the environment. However, it has a long lifespan and may exist for 500 years, resisting decomposition. If taken for granted, it is easy to pile up plastic waste. Since this material is inexpensive to manufacture, it makes for an accessible choice for companies. 

To optimize the value of plastic, ultimately, it is melted and reshaped to become new items, such as bags, bottles, different containers, tables, and a wide variety of other things. With its longevity, it is not surprising to find that a plastic bottle you use today may exist on this planet in another time and in some form.

Mixed paper

Every ton of recycled paper waste saves enormous space in landfills: around 3.3 cubic yards. The use of recovered paper in paper mills also helps save some energy and resources, which is good for the environment overall. 

One ton of recycled paper is equivalent to 17 trees, 463 gallons of oil, and 17,000 gallons of water saved. Those are enough reasons to develop a habit of sorting out paper scraps. “Mixed paper” is a term used to classify old magazines and newspapers, junk mail, printer paper, brochures, catalogs, phone books, and envelopes. 

You may also include sticky notes in this category, depending on your recycling agency. Some facilities employ a technology that can strip off paper waste from impurities, including glue and the presence of other materials.

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Corrugated cardboard

Among the paper wastes you can find at home, corrugated cardboard or those parcel boxes and packaging for appliances and other items are considered a higher grade. They are recycled around seven times in their lifetime, as long as their quality is maintained. 

To get a significant amount of money for your corrugated cardboard, it must be free from grease or water. Wet cardboard has a significantly reduced price tag because soaking it in liquid may affect the recycling process considerably. To preserve the value of your scrap cardboard, make sure it is properly folded, stocked, and protected against the elements.

Batteries

Dead, single-use batteries hardly ever have any value around the house. Good thing recycling centers can make use of old batteries, grinding them into different fractions: steel, plastic, paper and brass, and zinc manganese. 

Apart from turning them in to be recycled at a facility, another way to recycle batteries is to switch to rechargeable types and use them around the house instead. Rechargeable batteries are reusable until they get broken. So, buying rechargeable batteries instead of single-use types is an effortless and most convenient way to recycle.

If you have batteries ready to be tossed into the recycling bin, make sure you are doing the right thing. Some batteries carry hazardous materials and have recommended disposal methods. Always check with your state for guidance.

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Glass

Old glass containers and jars are reused and repurposed at home in many different ways. Clean them and use them as food containers or get creative and dress them for decorative purposes. For example, old glass bottles, jars, and the like are suitable flower vases, planters, table lamps, pen holders, and accent pieces. 

In any case, you may also drop them for curbside collection. Once they reach the recycling facility, old glass jars and bottles are sorted according to their color and stripped off impurities. Then, they are crushed, melted, and molded into new glass items.

Gadgets

Old electronics that are no longer working are recyclable and can be exchanged for money. Mobile phones, tablets, laptops, computers, cameras, drones, and the likes may be refurbished or stripped off precious metals to keep them out of landfills. Several electronic companies are committed to such a green act. It would not be difficult for anyone to locate one that will take their old and broken gadgets, which only create clutter at home.

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Concrete

If you have had a recent home improvement project, chances are you have got loads of concrete waste in your lawn. Well, you got better things to do with them than dumping them in landfills. Yes, that is to recycle. 

Construction companies may reuse sizable concrete pieces to cut down on costs and protect the environment. In addition, you can sell your debris to those companies in exchange for money. By doing so, you gain several benefits: you can free your area from clutter while you earn some cash and save some landfill space.

Old Clothing

Clothes may add up through the years, and your closet is one of the best sources for recyclable items. To get rid of clothing pieces that are old, out-of-fashion, and outfitted, choose from any of these available options.

First, sell them for money as preloved items or feature them in a yard sale. 

Better yet, you can make them valuable by donating them to charity institutions or distressed individuals who need extra clothes.

Lastly, you may cut up old garments and use them for your patchwork projects. Depending on your sewing skills and creativity, you can transform the fabrics into new items like blankets or dresses.


Conclusion

Most states have rules about sorting out the trash and recycling different items. But beyond following the rules, learning the habit of recycling offers substantial benefits for one's gain. It can deliver a stash of cash, especially for high-grade materials. Then, there is the advantage of clearing the clutter in your home, making it livable again.

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