Let’s be real – recycling can be a total drag. You’ve got your bottles, cans, paper – we get it. But what about all that random stuff that piles up around the house? We’re talking old electronics, Christmas lights, food containers, and shoes. Consider, too, how the modern world we’re living in made its impact on Planet Earth with carbon emissions from the digital economy. Many everyday items can be recycled if you know where to look.
We’ll walk through 5 things that may surprise you as totally recyclable. From the outdated gift cards gathering dust in your wallet to the pile of old hangers in your closet. You’ll learn more about new ways to give household objects new life and keep them out of landfills.
So grab that box of random junk lying around, and let’s dive into the unexpected world of recycling.
Contents
1 – Recycling Old Toothbrushes into New Products
Did you know that your old toothbrushes do not have to end up in the garbage bin? Many organisations and communities now offer toothbrush recycling programs that will turn these into new products.
Donations to Animal Shelters
Animal shelters often accept used toothbrushes to clean cages spot-clean before bathing and grooming animals. Shelters can sanitise and repurpose them as long as you thoroughly rinse your toothbrush after use. Contact your local shelters to see if they offer toothbrush recycling. If not, why don’t you suggest they do?
Recycling into Garden Tools
Used toothbrushes make for excellent gardening tools. Their bristles work great for cleaning debris from trowels, pruning shears, and brushing dirt from small weeds and seedlings. You can even attach toothbrushes to wooden blocks to make ergonomic hand cultivators for aerating soil and weeding. Let your creativity blossom.
Upcycle into Household Items
Crafty persons found many ways to upcycle old toothbrushes into new household goods. You can melt them into new plastic items such as picture frames, coasters, or pencil holders. Or, keep the bristles intact to turn them into cleaning tools like dusting wands, scrub brushes, and grout brushes. Using wooden boards and some hot glue, you can easily make wall mounts for keys, mail, or electronics.
Toothbrushes may be small, but when you recycle them, you make a huge impact. The American Dental Association reported that over 3 billion toothbrushes end up in landfills in the U.S. alone every year. It shows you what a few small environmental changes can make when you repurpose and upcycle our old toothbrushes.
2 – Recycle Crayons into Fun New Crayons
Do you have a bucket of broken crayons that you do not know what to do with? Don’t throw them away yet. Those bits and pieces can be recycled into fun new crayons.
Gather Your Supplies
You’ll need a pan for melting the crayons, like a double boiler or a pan set over a pot with some water, parchment paper, and a mould for the new crayons. You can find crayon moulds online or at a craft store, or get creative and make some of your moulds using items like silicone cupcake liners, empty containers, or cardboard tubes.
Sort and Peel
Sort through your old crayons and peel off any wrappers. Remove as much of the paper wrapper as possible. Don’t worry about getting every bit; any remaining stubborn paper will burn off once you melt the crayons. Group your crayons by colour as much as possible for custom shades in your new crayons.
Melt and Mix
Add about 100 millilitres of water to the bottom of a pot, then bring it to a simmer. Add crayons to the top pan in patches according to colour. As they start melting, stir them together to create custom shades. You can also mix colours to produce a marbleised effect. Be cautious, though, as the wax will be scalding.
Pour and Cool
Pour the melted crayons into your moulds. Let it set completely and leave it for a couple of hours until it completely hardens. Once cooled, pop out your new crayons. Peel off any remaining paper, sharpen the tips, and you’re ready to colour.
Recycling crayons is a fun project for both adults and children. You’ll end up with a fresh set of custom crayons to enjoy, and you’ll keep all those broken bits out of the dustbin.
3 – Don’t Throw Away Old Markers – Recycle Them
Did you know that old markers can be recycled? Before you throw out your dried-out markers in the bin, consider recycling them.
Here’s how you can do your part to reduce waste by recycling old markers:
Find a Collection Programme
Many art supply shops, NGOs, and schools offer marker recycling programmes. They collect used markers and send them away to be remanufactured into new markers or other products.
Edding and the Green Stationery Company are two well-known concerns who are known for caring for the environment. Check with them to see if they offer collection bins for used markers.
Donate Markers That Still Work
If your markers still have a bit of ink left, consider donating them to daycares, schools, shelters or other places that can use them. Teachers and children will appreciate having additional supplies for craft projects. Every marker that gets reused is one less in the landfills.
Repurpose Markers Yourself
Get creative and repurpose your markers yourself. You can turn them into paint brushes, use them for craft projects like making jewellery or decorating flower pots, or even transform them into cabinet knobs or drawer pulls. Pinterest presents many ideas for DIY marker repurposing projects. Giving your markers a second life is an easy way to save them from the garbage dump.
Properly Dispose of Non-Recyclable Markers
Unfortunately, not all markers can be recycled or repurposed. Permanent markers, highlighters and markers with toxic chemicals will need to be disposed of in a regular way. Be sure to remove the marker tip and dispose of it separately. Never flush markers down the toilet or pour them down drains where they can pollute our water supply.
You can do your small part to reduce waste and help the environment by reusing or recycling your old markers whenever possible. Together, we can make a colourful impact. You’ll be amazed to learn how many everyday items are reusable.
4 – Plastic Bottle Caps Can Be Recycled Too
Many of us diligently rinse our plastic bottles and toss them in the recycling, but did you know the caps can also be recycled? Plastic bottle caps, known as closures, are #5 polypropylene plastics and are fully recyclable. However, most curbside recycling programmes don’t accept them because their small size means they often fall through the cracks of sorting machinery.
Check with your local waste and recycling department to see if they take bottle caps or if they know of any nearby places that do. You can also contact the British Plastics Federation, as they can put you in touch with organisation’s that do cap recycling.
Remove Liners and Wash Caps
If your local centre accepts bottle caps, remove any remaining liner or seal inside the cap before tossing it in your recycling bin. Give the caps a quick rinse to remove any residue as well. Clean caps are more likely to be recycled into new food-grade plastics.
5 – Give Old Tennis Balls New Life
Did you know that old tennis balls can be repurposed and recycled? Once tennis balls lose their bounce, don’t throw them out, but give them a second chance to serve and volley in new ways.
Protect Furniture
When you cut tennis balls in half, you can place them under the legs of heavy furniture like tables, couches, and chairs to prevent floor dents and scratches. The balls will slide smoothly if you need them to move the furniture. The felt surface won’t damage tile or wooden floors. They also make excellent dog toys for throw and fetch games.
Conclusion
You don’t need to be an eco-warrior to incorporate a few small changes that can have a significant impact. With just a little extra thought while you’re sorting your recycling, you can divert things from landfills and give them a new life.
We hope reading about these unexpected recyclables inspired you to look at your garbage with fresh eyes. You’ll be amazed at what you can all recycle once you start paying attention. Do your part for the planet, and know that every bottle cap, worn-out shoe, and cereal bag helps. Our combined actions add up to make a greener and cleaner world.