Organizations release recycling poster to educate consumers

In an effort to help consumers recycle properly, the National Waste and Recycling Association (NWRA), the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), the Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) and the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) have jointly developed the Think Twice poster.

The poster has illustrations of items that don't belong in recycling bins because of their potential to be hazardous or damaging, including electronics and batteries, plastic bags, diapers and more.

“The economics of recycling are changing. As our members look to expand markets for their recyclables, it is important consumers understand what items can be recycled and who to contact if they have questions,” says  NWRA President and CEO Darrell Smith. “Our members are educating their customers to improve recycling habits. This poster supports those efforts.”

David Biderman, SWANA CEO and executive director, says in a news release that the variety of confusing recycling messages in the country can lead to “increased contamination and pose safety threats to workers.”

“This poster, if distributed widely by our members and others, will help improve the quality of recyclables generated at MRFs and reduce the risks to workers involved in recycling collection and processing,” Biderman says.

“Our experiences have shown that education plays a vital role in decreasing contamination and increasing the quality of the recycling stream,” says Robin Wiener, president of ISRI. “The recycling industry is working together to help people better understand common items not accepted in curbside recycling bins. While the rules for residential recycling vary from community to community there are several common items that cannot be recycled in curbside programs regardless of location. Recycling works and we all have an important part to play.”

The poster is available for download here.