Do Labels Have To Be Removed When Recycling?

Do Labels Have To Be Removed When Recycling?

Recycling is one of those things that most people do grudgingly, especially if it comes with a lot of rules and regulations to follow especially on recycling labels.

Until a couple of years ago, the recycling process was slightly more complex than what it is today. It required people to remove labels from cans, bottles, jars, and containers. Along with that, there were several other restrictions that had to be followed, which often deterred people from tossing their items into the recycling bin.

However, the modern recycling process is much more sophisticated and does not require you to remove labels. But there are still a couple of common recycling mistakes that you should be aware of.

So, read on to find out everything about then!

Do You Need To Remove Labels When You Recycle Items?

Some recycling facilities may remove the labels off recyclable items when they receive them; however, this process is largely unnecessary. Most of the labels on glass bottles, aluminum cans, or food containers have strong adhesives, and removing them can be a time-consuming and arduous process.

That said, there are some recycling centres that continue doing so to maintain a proper flow in the recycling stream.

The truth is that most of the labels are naturally burnt off when the items are put through the recycling process. So, instead of wasting recycling efforts in removing labels, it is best to follow specific guidelines for recyclables to ensure a proper recycling rate.

What About Recycling Paper And Household Waste?

When tossing household waste or paper items like pizza boxes, shredded paper, or food scraps in recycling bins, there are a couple of things you need to pay attention to.

For starters, avoid throwing your coffee cup, yogurt pots, or any container with food waste or food residue in it. Although most types of grease and food residue automatically get burnt during the recycling process of metals, plastics, and glass, it is not the same while recycling paper.

If you end up throwing paper or containers with food waste along with other recyclable items in the same bin, the recycling process gets affected. As per the common recycling program, any recyclable materials with food scraps or grease on them will be rejected.

This is one of the most common recycling mistakes that homeowners make, and the faster they learn to sort out their recyclable materials, the better it is. You can always contact professional rubbish removal services who can take care of this expertly.

How Should You Dispose Of Materials With Food Scraps On Them?

A lot of homeowners want to do the responsible thing by recycling their household waste. While there is no inherent issue with doing so, the short answer to why this is wrong is that any container contaminated with food scraps cannot be recycled.

Before dumping pizza boxes or other recyclable material into a recycling bin, tear out the paper labels and any contaminated portion. This is a small step you can integrate into your life to ensure all the waste items go into recycling properly.

Once you have correctly sorted through the recyclable materials, either dispose of them in the correct recycling bins or hand them over to your local recycling centers.

Identifying Commonly Recyclable Items

Unfortunately, not all recycling guidelines are the same for every area. While a certain recycling plant may accept plastic bags and other materials, other facilities may not. So, it is best to check with your local recycling centers and local council and be aware of the guidelines to follow.

Furthermore, ensure that you speak to the authorities at the local council to know about the various plastic collection schemes that they offer. Although most centres accept plastic bags since most of them are recyclable plastic, there are certain types which cannot be easily recycled.

Blended polymers are an example of this, and the most common items made from them include plastic grocery bags, containers, bottles, tape, and wrap. These are commonly found at the local grocery store and most of us end up with them almost on a daily or weekly basis.

However, tossing these plastics into the recycling bin with other recyclable plastic is another common recycling mistake that most people tend to make. Avoid throwing single use plastics and plastic tops into your curbside bin, and instead, speak to the local authorities about putting them into sorting machines.

What Should You Do With Bottle Tops, Lids, Labels, And Rings?

When it comes to glass bottles, containers, and jars, you can leave the labels and lids on. This is because the recycling process automatically takes care of any materials which are not glass.

However, when recycling plastic bags, plastic bottles, and plastic containers, ensure that you remove the bottle tops and lids first. Likewise, remove the labels from them as well. The plastic bottle tops, rings, and lids are typically made of other types of plastic polymer blends and have different melting points.

Moreover, these lids and caps can quickly contaminate the rest of the load, and sorting machines cannot manage to separate them.

Finally, when putting paper labels or other recyclable paper into the recycling bin, remove the staples, pins, tapes, and labels. Remember that the more un-recyclable material you put into the bin, the more harm it causes to the recycling program.

Final Words

The short answer to your query on whether or not you should remove labels from a product prior to recycling them is no.

Most recycling facilities will ensure that the labels are removed before the waste is recycled. However, if you choose to remove the labels yourself, there is no harm in doing so. Of course, it is always best to speak to the local authorities about the guidelines to follow for recyclables in your area.

You can also choose to contact the best rubbish removal services in your area who can take care of rubbish removal in the most effective way, ensuring that the waste doesn’t end up in a landfill.