Your Guide to Recycling in Louisville, KY

You just ate the last bit of cereal for breakfast and are left with an empty box. What are you going to do with it? Thrown in the trash can or toss it into the recycling bin?

Some of the most common reasons why people do not recycle are that it is inconvenient, they do not know what is recyclable, or they simply do not care.

Recycling has a huge impact because it eliminates some of the waste that can leave a damaging impression on the environment. With a collective effort, we can reduce our need for landfills and make a better environment for future generations.

To help out, we have created this easy-to-read recycling guide that has the tools you need so you know what is recyclable, where to recycle, and what to do with those items you cannot recycle.

What Can You Recycle?

Through advancements in recycling technology, the list of what is recyclable is continuously growing. This can make it tough to remember what is and what is not recyclable. So we have done the thinking for you. Here is a list of all the common items that can be recycled in the Louisville, KY area.

Paper Recycling

Almost every person uses paper in some way, shape, or form every single day. Because of this, paper makes up about 26% of landfill garbage and 33% of municipal waste.

What does that mean? With all of the paper we throw each year, we could construct a 12-foot-high paper wall stretching from New York to California. Yikes!

However recent studies have shown that a whopping 50 million tons are recycled each year in America. Maybe one day, all paper will be recycled and repurposed.

Acceptable paper products:

• Flattened cardboard
• Paper containers, paper cups
• Milk, juice, & soup cartons
• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Cereal/snack boxes

Plastic Recycling

Plastic is a flexible lightweight material that is great at keeping leftovers fresh. Yet, it uses fossil fuels in its production and causes harm to the environment when it is not recycled properly. It’s important to also note that for plastic to be acceptable, it must be clean. If your leftover spaghetti dinner is stuck to the container, it could contaminate an entire load, causing all that recyclable plastic to end up in the landfill.

Many believe that the number on the bottom of the plastic container is an indication of whether or not it’s recyclable. It’s not. Those numbers indicate it’s plastic-type only. The best way to know if a plastic is recyclable is to look at its shape. Empty bottles and containers usually used in the kitchen, laundry, and bath are all acceptable.

Metal Recycling

According to Waste Management, of the 2.7 million tons of metal Americans discard each year, almost 69% is recycled. When you recycle metals, you not only help the environment but also save on the amount of energy that is used to produce it. When metal is recycled, it saves 74% of the energy that is used to produce it.

As with any recyclable, the metal must be free of any food or product waste. Acceptable metal products include empty metal cans, foil pans, and wraps.

Glass Recycling

Thanks to everyone’s recycling efforts, most glass jars and bottles are made with about 38% recycled glass. While glass is not an acceptable recyclable in all areas, it is accepted here in Louisville, KY.

For the glass to be acceptable, it must be in one piece and free of food and dirt. Broken glass is a hazard for the people who collect and sort recyclables. So, unfortunately, broken glass needs to be wrapped in newspaper and disposed of in the trash. Empty bottles and jars are acceptable.

Battery Recycling

Many of the components found in batteries can be reused and repurposed to make new batteries or even other products. For example, the sulfuric acid found in car batteries can be broken down and purified to make fertilizer and dyes.

It is important to remember that batteries of any kind should not be combined with your common home recyclables. Since they contain chemicals, they must be taken to a facility that can properly recycle them.

Here’s what the Louisville, KY government website says about recycling batteries, “Batteries placed in your curbside recycling bins won’t be recycled. They can’t be picked out by the staff and equipment designed to sort large volumes of paper, glass, metal, and plastic…Your batteries will be safely recycled if you take them to our Household Hazardous Waste facility (Haz Bin), or to a store that collects batteries for recycling.”

Electronic Recycling

Electronics that are broken, dated, or just ready for the graveyard is referred to as “e-waste.” E-waste should never be combined with other recyclable items.

To recycle electronics in Louisville, KY (along with chargers and cables), Louisville Metro has teamed up with TERRA’s Done with IT program and Technology Conservation Group.

The CyberCycle application also destroys and recycles other electronic devices.

Both people and companies in Louisville can take advantage of the programs Done with IT and CyberCycle.

Electronics that are acceptable:

• Cell phones
• Compact discs (CDs) and CD players
• Computers
• Copiers
• Digital cameras
• Electronic game systems
• Floppy disks

• Microwaves
• Monitors
• Printers
• Scanners
• Tapes and disk drives
• Television sets
• VCRs

To learn more about electronic recycling and which Louisville, KY recycling centers accept e-waste, jump on over to our article about recycling centers.

Appliance Recycling

You have purchased a new energy-efficient appliance for your home. Now you are wondering what to do with the old one. Depending on where you purchased your new appliance, many stores will haul away the old one for you and recycle it. If they don’t, or they tell you they will just dump it in the closest landfill, then appliance recycling in Louisville, KY is a great idea!

Most appliances, especially older models, are made largely of metal, which is of course recyclable. Air conditioners and refrigerators contain chemicals that are used to chill air, and these chemicals are harmful to the environment. When recycled, these chemicals are properly and safely recycled to be used in other products.

In particular, appliances that are not acceptable include refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers, or any items containing Freon (recycled).

Where Can I Recycle in Louisville, KY?

Depending on what you are recycling, there are several options for you.

• Curbside Pickup
  • The city of Louisville offers free curbside pickup for many residents. Paper, plastic, glass, and metal are all accepted through this service. If curbside pickup is not offered by the city, private waste haulers are required to offer curbside pickup to any customer who requests it. Click here to find out if your area is serviced by the city’s curbside pickup service.
• Drop-off Locations
  • For residents who are not offered curbside pickup or do not want someone coming to their home to collect, several drop-off facilities are located in Louisville, KY. Check here to learn where you can drop off your recyclables. out the table below for locations and what types of items they accept.
• Nonprofit Organizations
  • The Free Geek Center – To offer the city’s most vulnerable populations the digital literacy skills they need to flourish and thrive, Free Geek refurbishes locally donated equipment safely and securely before redistributing it to our community for free or at a minimal cost.
  • Habitat for Humanity ReStore – The Habitat ReStore is a charitable furniture, home goods, and home renovation store where you may donate items and volunteer your time.
• Automobile Shops
  • Many mechanic shops will gladly take and recycle car batteries. The next time you are in for an oil change, ask if they accept car batteries or if they know of a shop nearby that does.

Recycling Centers Near Me

Items You Didn’t Know Were Recyclable

When the term “recycling” comes to mind, many think of the usual paper, plastic, glass, and metal. There are other items that are great for recycling, but since they are not as common, they are often forgotten and tossed in the trash.

According to environmentalist Rinkesh Kukreja’s Conserve Energy Future blog, these are some of the most uncommon recyclables:

• Carpet
• Clothing Dryers
• Fluorescent Light Bulbs
• Bio-Plastics
• DVD’s
• Ink Cartridges
• Eyeglasses
• Game Discs
• Motor Oil
• Packing Materials
• Sports Equipment

• Athletic Shoes
• Shaving Razors
• Commercial Cooking Oil
• Construction Wood
• Fertilizers
• Bicycles
• Crayons
• Wine Corks
• Holiday Lights
• Toothbrushes

Many of these items are in the beginning stages of recycling and are only recycled in a few places, some only in other countries. Hopefully, in the near future, every city in America will be recycling more and more items.

Recycle, It’s Your Future Too

Recycling has come a long way since its early beginnings. Each year, more items are being added to the list reducing the amount of waste that is dumped into landfills. With all the information we gave you in this article, we hope we helped you learn more about recycling and where you can take your items.

With the growing number of recycling centers, there is no reason why everyone can’t pitch in and help save the environment. For any other recycling questions, ask the experts at Bringer Appliance Repair in Louisville, KY.

Happy Recycling!