Here are items you may not recycle but should:<\/p>\n
Batteries<\/h3>\n
![\"batteries\"](\"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/batteries-1140974684-1100x640.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
What to do with all those dead AA batteries? Whatever you do, please don\u2019t throw them in the garbage or blue bin. Most hardware stores take dead batteries, and there are several reliable battery recycling programs across Canada, including www.Call2Recycle.ca<\/a>.<\/p>\n Remodeling your home or building one from scratch? Habitat for Humanity has partnering ReStores<\/a> all across the country that will take building materials, including lumber, tiles and doors. They\u2019ll also take household items, such as furniture, appliances and light fixtures.<\/p>\n Before scrapping your car, look online for a nearby automotive recycling service that will recycle the parts. In Ontario, for example, many recyclers run your car\u2019s VIN through a program that creates a list of salvageable parts, which is then compared to a list of in-demand parts. The car isn\u2019t scrapped until it has no further use.<\/p>\n We go through many pairs of shoes, so it doesn\u2019t feel right to throw our old pairs in the garbage. Consider donating your old sneakers to a local thrift store. Better yet, many companies have drop off locations that will donate shoes or grind them down into new materials. A quick Internet search can help you pinpoint a nearby location.<\/p>\n Did you upgrade your bike and you\u2019re not sure what to do with the old one? Before putting it on the curbside, look for a bicycle recycling program that will fix up your old bike and find it a new owner.<\/p>\n Are you finally getting rid of that old shag carpet in your house? Most carpets are made of plastic fibres and should be recycled. Fortunately, many companies across Canada will take your old carpet \u2013 just search Google for \u201cwhere to recycle old carpet in <your city>\u201d to find a location near you.<\/p>\n Did you know 55 per cent of Canadians wear eyeglasses? If your prescription changes, your eyeglasses likely change as well. Consider donating your used prescription glasses. Many opticians can recommend a local program, or you can search for the nearest collection location on the Canadian Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centre webpage<\/a> \u2013 most Lions Clubs accept used eyeglasses.<\/p>\n Of course, the best approach is to avoid plastic bags altogether by switching to reusable grocery bags. But if you do have plastic bags at home in good condition, consider repurposing them for your kitchen or bathroom garbage, cat litter bag or another use. If the bags are not in good condition, most grocery retailers have bins inside for collecting unusable plastic bags.<\/p>\n Each year, about 6 million mattresses are disposed of in landfills. Luckily, more and more companies are taking the lead to help reduce this number. If you live in western Canada, www.MattressRecycling.ca<\/a> is a good option for recycling your used mattress. If you live in Quebec, try www.mattcanada.com<\/a>. And if you\u2019re in a different location, there are many more mattress recycling options \u2013 just head over to Google for a quick search!<\/p>\n Don\u2019t toss out your old cellphone \u2013 or any electronics for that matter! These devices contain plenty of recyclable metals, which means recycling your electronics helps to decrease the amount of raw materials needed to make new products. Many electronic retailers (such as Staples) will take and recycle used electronics \u2013 everything from printers to cameras to sometimes even coffee makers. For your cell phone, you can check out www.recyclemycell.ca<\/a> for drop off locations across Canada.<\/p>\n We hope this article is helpful the next time you come across an item in your home that you would otherwise throw in the garbage. And remember, the best approach is to avoid purchasing unnecessary items in the first place.<\/p>\n There really is no such thing as throwing something \u201caway\u201d \u2013 it just winds up somewhere else on our planet \u2013 so every action we take to minimize landfill waste is a win.<\/p>\nHousehold items and building materials<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/blue-doors-1176955489-1100x640.jpg\")
<\/p>\nVehicles<\/h3>\n
![\"parked](\"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/car-dump-parked-lines-1155856159-1100x640.jpg\")
<\/p>\nOld sneakers<\/h3>\n
![\"shoes\"](\"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/shoes-waste-522032255-1100x640.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBicycles<\/h3>\n
![\"scrap](\"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/scrap-bicycles-497654510-1100x640.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCarpeting<\/h3>\n
![\"carpets\"](\"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/carpets-pile-rolled-garbage-1080312438-1100x640.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCrayons and markers<\/h3>\n
![\"used](\"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/used-crayons-471485593-1100x640.jpg\")
Did you know Crayola\u2019s ColorCycle program<\/a> will partner with schools to take any used markers, highlighters or even dry-erase markers and repurpose them? The program runs in some parts of Canada \u2013 find out if your postal code is eligible here<\/a>.<\/p>\nEyeglasses<\/h3>\n
![\"used](\"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/used-glasses-1134540451-1100x640.jpg\")
<\/p>\nPlastic bags<\/h3>\n
![\"plastic](\"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/plastic-bags-1062710194-1100x640.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMattresses<\/h3>\n
![\"old](\"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/used-mattresses-1178816912-1100x640.jpg\")
<\/p>\nElectronics<\/h3>\n
![\"electronics](\"https:\/\/blog.cwf-fcf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/electronics-dump-172777435-1100x640.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhat else would add to this list? Please tell us in the comments below!<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"