How to separate recyclable waste (correctly) –

Did you know that currently more than 140,000 tons of urban waste are collected per day in Brazil? Of this total, 60% do not have an adequate final destination, ending up in sanitary landfills, better known as dumps. It is estimated that around 10 million tons of solid waste (something like 20 to 25% of the total collected urban waste) are not collected every year, ending up having an uncertain and often inadequate destination.

However, not all this waste would need to end like this. Up to 30% of this mountain of garbage produced daily in Brazilian cities is made up of recyclable materials, such as plastic, glass, paper, cans, among others, which, if properly separated, collected and sent, could be reused.

HOW TO RECYCLE WASTE THE CORRECT WAY

For correct disposal, it is important to know which plastic can be recycled or not: Disposable cups, plates and cutlery, plastic toys, car bumpers, plastic bags, PVC pipes are recyclable items.

Now objects such as diapers, pads, plastic parts used in the creation of computers, cell phones and other electronic materials (there are places for specific disposal of electronics), cellophane-type plastic, metallized plastic packaging (such as snacks and cookies), sockets, stickers and pot handles are not recyclable.

Now that you know what can be recyclable, it’s time to organize the trash: For recyclables, choose a transparent garbage bag to facilitate product identification. Do not put dirty waste in the trash bag. Empty bottles and containers, if possible sanitize pots like yogurt before putting them in the trash. Plastic bottles and containers must be closed as they open packages can accumulate water and make the material unsuitable for recycling.

Glass is recyclable in almost all its forms (except glass such as light bulbs, which are toxic and non-reusable, and tempered glass), but irregular disposal can often lead to bottles and objects ending up in landfills, polluting the environment. environment. We often reuse glass packaging and it hardly goes to waste. But when something breaks, keeping it at home becomes unfeasible.

To correctly dispose of glass (both for your safety and that of the workers who collect your garbage), the best way is to wrap it in newspaper, place it inside a milk carton or cardboard, avoiding direct contact with the plastic bag. After packing it, if you are going to leave the bag together with the rest of the garbage for collection, it is essential that the glass is at a certain distance from the others and, preferably, has an indication of what it is.

At the time of disposal, paper is the one that can most generate doubts. After all, is dirty paper recyclable? And get wet?

Paper and cardboard, such as pizza boxes and ready meals with grease and food residues, no are used, as well as plasticized papers and toilet paper.

Now, newspapers, magazines, notebook sheets, computer forms, paper and cardboard boxes in general, scrap paper, photocopies, envelopes, used bond sheets (both sides) and old posters are recyclable.

Separate specific waste for papers, as food scraps, disposable cups and different types of liquid can dirty or contaminate them. They must always be dry and free of food or grease residues.

Also disassemble cardboard boxes to reduce the volume of garbage and instead of crumpling papers, tear them up to maintain the strength of the material’s fibers, which, when intact, facilitate the recycling process.

In everyday life, most of the discarded metal waste is made of ferrous metals, the most common being steel and iron. Steel is a type of ferrous material widely used in packaging and household items, which makes them ecological and sustainable. The can made from the material, in addition to being 100% recyclable, can be easily separated from other materials through a magnetic process, facilitating sorting for recycling.

Household materials such as sauce cans, canned foods or oil, bottle caps, screws, threads, tweezers, keys, staples are recyclable items. The can’s seal can be recycled along with the can, if you don’t want to send it to crafts or to institutions that receive it and use the material for purposes other than recycling.

To dispose of them, it is not necessary to separate by type of packaging or utensil. Dispose of them in the recyclable basket or in the specific basket (yellow). Remove organic residues from products, rinse the packaging to help reduce the smell and remove paper labels or plastic accessories if they have them.

Aerosol cans can be a problem when it comes to disposal. These packages are often used as insecticides, deodorants, medicines, paints, among other products. In most cases, these packages may contain residues of hazardous chemical elements and incorrect disposal poses health risks and contaminates the environment.

Something that few people know is that companies that manufacture this type of material, as well as industries that use a lot of aerosol in their operation, such as automotive companies that use oil spray and paints in the manufacture and maintenance of vehicles, must carry out the reverse logistics of these products. The process guarantees the recycling of materials and their return to the chain as raw material, as determined by Federal Law No. 12,305/10, of the National Policy on Solid Waste.

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