Design Your Kitchen To Recycle

We all know that we should be recycling at home and doing our bit to preserve the environment.  But to implement recycling in our day-to-day life just seems such a schlep.  Here are some simple, easy tips to help you get you started.

Setting up a convenient recycling station

The kitchen, being the hub of the home, is the ideal place to set up a storage bin station. This should be easily accessible but out of sight - as no one wants to see any mess - and can be: 

• your built-in multiple-bin cabinet
• your DIY cupboard built to house your bins
• your DIY rack for hanging smaller bins behind your kitchen or cabinet door to save space.

A three- bin system is ideal; one bin each for recyclable waste - paper, plastic, glass, metal and cardboard ; decomposable waste - food scraps, egg shells, teabags and coffee grounds; and non-recyclable waste.
 

Your decomposable waste can be emptied regularly onto your garden compost heap to provide nutrients for your plants.  When full, empty the other bins into larger corresponding storage bins in your garage, or other designated space, ready for drop-off at a recycling depot or collection. 

Be hygienic, and ensure all waste is empty, clean and dry when stored in your bins.
 

For a successful recycling program, use smart, stylish bins with fun, quirky labels to capture the family's attention and to ensure the materials are separated correctly. 
 

Now all you have to do is be conscientious... and recycle at home!
 

For interesting DIY home recycling bin ideas, visit: https://www.bioenergyconsult.com/recycling-at-home/.

Use recycled materials when building or renovating

If you're planning on building a new home or renovating your kitchen, then consider styling your home using materials manufactured with recycled components and opt for recycled items for your décor. Refurbish and repurpose items where possible - to do your bit to protect the earth!

Dedicated disposal of your recyclables

If dropping off your recyclable goods at the local recycling depot is too much of a bind for you, then have your recyclables collected by one of these recycling collectors:
 

Wholeearth collects weekly - paper and cardboard, certain plastics including polystyrene, glass, cans, cartons such as Tetra Pak and electronic waste (anything with a plug). http://wholeearth.co.za/
 

ECOmonkey offers weekly or fortnightly collections of glass, paper, plastic, cans and e-waste. https://www.ecomonkey.co.za/ 
 

For a list of other recycling collectors or a list of Pikitup drop-off venues, visit : https://postwink.co.za/recycling-collectors/  or  

http://www.pikitup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/list-Pikitup-Garden-Sites-33.pdf

What CAN and CANNOT be recycled.

Be aware! Here are some tips for correct recycling 

What CAN Be Recycled?

1. Metal - must be empty, clean and dry.

• Cold drink and beer cans
• Food tins
• Metal lids of glass jars
• Aluminium cans (eg. Red Bull), foil and foil packaging
• Paint, oil and aerosol cans (leave labels on so recyclers can see whether they contain hazardous material)
• Rusty cans.

2. Glass - must be empty, clean and dry and unbroken.

• Beverage bottles
• Food jars such as tomato sauce, jam and mayonnaise bottles.

3. Paper - should not be mixed with other materials, wet or sticky. 

• White office paper
• Magazines and books (as long as nothing is laminated)
• Newspaper
• Cardboard (boxes and cereal boxes).

4. Plastics - must be empty, clean and dry.

• Most plastic packaging we use every day is recyclable. To determine if a plastic product is recyclable, look for its recycling logo, of which there are seven. The logos indicate the type of plastic an item is made of as each type has to be recycled separately. For details about the logos, visit: http://treevolution.co.za/guide-to-recycling-in-sa/types-of-plastics/

What CANNOT Be Recycled?

1. Glass

• Broken glass 
• Drinking glasses
• Light bulbs i.e.ordinary and energy-saving compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and fluorescent tubes as they contain mercury, a toxin that can leach into the soil and groundwater. Rather take them to the drop-off points at Pick n Pay and Woolworths stores where they can be disposed of safely. Do NOT throw them out with your everyday rubbish!
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2. Paper 

• Laminated or waxy paper
• Carbon paper
• Stickers.

For more information on recycling, visit :http://treevolution.co.za/guide-to-recycling-in-sa/ 

Change your mindset! Set up your own recycling storage station in your home and make recycling a daily practice for you and your kids - and the sooner the better. We all have to do our part. Sustainable living is the future so start NOW. 

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