Making a Mess of Recycling (And How to Do It Better)
When we’re trying to live more sustainably, recycling feels like one of the easiest ways to help. But here’s the catch: not all recycling is equal, and sometimes the mistakes we make can actually cause more harm than good.
Don’t worry—you’re not alone. These are some of the most common recycling slip-ups I’ve discovered (and yes, I’ve been guilty of them too!) along with the simple fixes that make a real difference.
1. Throwing Food Into Landfill
The mistake: Thinking it’s fine because “it will biodegrade.” In reality, food in landfill decomposes without oxygen and produces methane—a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
The fix: Compost fruit and vegetable scraps instead. Chickens also love cooked food like leftover spaghetti!
2. Recycling Plastic Bags
The mistake: Tossing plastic bags into your recycling bin. They tangle up machinery in recycling plants, causing breakdowns and delays.
The fix: Refuse new plastic bags whenever possible. Reuse the ones you already have until they’re worn out.
3. Swapping Plastic for Paper Bags
The mistake: Thinking paper bags are a guilt-free alternative. They’re natural, yes, but making and recycling them still consumes resources and energy.
The fix: Invest in reusable cloth bags—they last for years and save countless disposables.
4. Biodegradable Plastic in the Bin
The mistake: Buying biodegradable plastic packaging and throwing it away with regular rubbish. Most of these materials only break down in industrial composting facilities, not in landfill.
The fix: Return biodegradable packaging to the shop where you bought it if they offer collection (for example, Uluwatu in Nyon and Rolle).
5. Recycling Food-Stained Boxes
The mistake: Tossing greasy pizza boxes or dirty food containers into recycling. Contamination means whole batches may be diverted to landfill.
The fix: If it’s too messy to clean, put it in the non-recycling bin.
6. Leaving Food or Liquid in Bottles
The mistake: Forgetting to rinse. Leftover food or drink can ruin entire loads of otherwise recyclable material.
The fix: Empty and wash everything before it goes into the recycling.
7. Recycling Black Plastic
The mistake: Thinking all plastics are recyclable. Most black plastics can’t be detected by recycling machines and contaminate the system.
The fix: Refuse black or coloured plastics if you can. If you already have them, reuse them creatively or dispose of them with general waste.
8. Keeping Bottle Lids On
The mistake: Throwing bottles in with their caps still attached. Different plastics need to be separated, and lids can contaminate the load.
The fix: Take off the lids and recycle them separately.
9. Mixing All Glass Together
The mistake: Believing all glass is the same. Items like lightbulbs, mirrors, and ceramics have different melting points and can ruin batches of recyclable glass.
The fix: Identify the glass type and recycle it in the correct container.
The Takeaway
We all make these mistakes. The good news is that once we know better, recycling becomes far more effective. And remember, recycling is just one part of the bigger picture.
Of the famous “3 R’s”—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle—the easiest and most powerful one is often overlooked: Refuse. The less we bring into our homes in the first place, the less we have to worry about recycling later.