What Not To Compost or Recycle: 30 Items to Avoid

I found this list on Mother Nature Network and thought it was a nice refresher for those of us who’ve ever stood over a recycling bin with an item and wondered if we were helping the process or muddling it up, since not all paper, glass, and plastic can be recycled equally. 

Here are a few non-compostable/non-recyclable items to be aware of. Head on over to Mother Nature Network for the full list. 

Non-Compostable Items:

• Bread products, as they will attract pests.
• Meat products, which will also attract pests and bacteria in a general compost pile. There are, however, specially designed composting bins that can be used to compost meat and dairy. 
• Heavily coated or printed paper. The printing chemicals will leak into your compost and cause contamination.
• Cooking oil, which can disrupt the moisture balance in compost and also attract pests.
• Rice, as it can become a breeding ground for bacteria that can harm the quality of your compost.

Non-Recyclable Items:

• Brightly dyed paper, as the colored ink can leak and alter the color of other items. 
• Juice boxes and wax-coated cardboard containers. If the containers have not been marked as recyclable, they are not suitable for recycling.
• Napkins and paper towels are considered unsuitable for recycling due to contaminants they may have absorbed.
• Wet paper is not recyclable because of possible contaminants and damage to the fibers.
• Plastic screw-on tops. While plastic bottles are recyclable, the tops are not considered suitable for recycling.