Is Wallpaper Recyclable?

Much of the paper produced in the paper industry is recyclable, but wallpaper is not one of them.

Most wallpaper contains heavy amounts of dyes, inks and even fire retardants. Many types of wallpaper are also coated with a film-like layer of plastic to make them more durable and easier to scrub and keep clean. 

Are Padded Mailing Envelopes Recyclable?

The outside of padded envelopes, or padded mailers, “can be made of heavy paper, paperboard or corrugated fiberboard.” 

These are recyclable materials if they were recycled as a stand-alone item. It’s when they are fused with padding material that their ability to be recycled becomes more difficult to discern. 

Are Light Bulbs Recyclable?

Light bulbs are a tricky item to categorize when discussing recyclables.  What type of material is a light bulb, anyway?

At the base, they have two metal contacts, which connect to the ends of an electrical circuit. The metal contacts are attached to two stiff wires, which are attached to a thin metal filament. The filament sits in the middle of the bulb, held up by a glass mount. The wires and the filament are housed in a glass bulb, which is filled with an inert gas, such as argon.

If It Is Single Stream Recycling, Why Are There Separate Bins At Drop-Off Centers?

Single Stream recycling, also called "Fully Commingled" or "Single Sort", is a process by which all recyclable items are collected together in a single truck instead of being separated into different bins by the depositor. The sorting processes in place then support the commingled materials and separate them into commodity types.