Millions of tons of household waste are generated each year, the majority of which is packaging. Whether cardboard, plastic or glass, avoiding packaging waste is essential. Raw materials and energy are needed to produce and recycle this packaging. Therefore, avoiding waste always involves sorting and, when possible, recycling. Recycling and therefore sorting can reduce the consumption of natural resources such as wood or oil and thus reduce energy consumption. For all this, everyone can bring their stone to the building. Each person at his level can set up the sorting of his waste. It’s simple and free and it can have significant effects on the scale of our planet.
Why organize selective sorting at home?
High quality recycling means that as much waste as possible is recycled and the resulting recycling material is of high quality. In order to be able to produce high-quality recycled materials from household waste, the waste must be polluted as little as possible. This is why effective recycling begins at home with sorting: if, for example, diapers and plastic are thrown away at the same time, one will alter the other and prevent it from being properly recycled. Likewise, if you throw away vacuum bags filled with aluminum, the former will prevent the latter from being properly recycled. This also applies to paper, which must remain dry and clean in order to be recycled: which is not possible if you throw it away with waste containing residues. Similarly, glass if not separated from the rest would destroy other waste and make recycling more difficult. In short, the better you do your sorting at home, the better the objects will be recycled or destroyed for those who cannot be.
To organize sorting: identify the different types of waste
Non-recyclable waste
Many channels allow the recycling of certain materials. But there are still materials that cannot be. These must be thrown in the regular trash.
organic waste
Natural waste is a valuable supplier of compost. Vegetable peelings, eggshells, etc. There are many ways to reduce your household waste: all your putrescible waste can go to your compost. You can of course put your cut or faded flowers, all the dead leaves and the shredded branches there.
Glass
Glass, like paper, can be almost 100% recycled. Most glass bottles therefore contain a high proportion of recycled glass. To do this, however, the glass must be carefully separated from the rest and placed in these containers provided for this purpose. When you put your glass in containers, remember to remove all corks and lids. We are still far from our German neighbors who sort glass by color: white, brown and green.
The paper
Paper production is made from wood fibers, which requires both a lot of wood and a lot of energy. Being able to use “old” paper improves the ecological balance since this recycled paper makes it possible to use less wood, less water and less energy in its manufacture. Hence the importance of sorting. In the majority of cases, paper is sorted into bags or yellow bins. If you are faced with a package that contains different types of components, be sure to separate the paper and cardboard from the rest.
Wood
All wooden objects are recycled in the recycling center. These establishments work on the recovery of wood, whether in the form of panels, paper pulp, litter, etc.
household appliances
Household appliances that you want to throw away do not go in the “classic” trash can. If your household appliance bears the “recyclable” logo, you must be able to bring it back to the store. You can possibly donate it to charity. Otherwise, the simplest solution is to take it to the recycling center.
Best practices for selective sorting at home
Overall, waste sorting is the same everywhere in France, but some variations appear in certain places. Check with your municipality.
Now that you have been able to detail the different families of waste, nothing could be simpler. You just need to equip yourself with bins or containers that can accommodate them. Once this is done, all you have to do is put your bags in the appropriate containers. In general, here are some guidelines to remember:
- It is not necessary to wash your containers. Emptying them is enough.
- Keep everything that is battery, cartridges, bulbs in the same place in order to bring them to collection points regularly.
- Separate plastic, cardboard and paper from the rest.
- Remember that cans or metal sort in the yellow bin.
- Paper and cardboard damaged by grease or water must be left in the classic trash can because it is not possible to recycle them.