Recycling can seem very simple, but only 5% of plastic waste is recycled in the United States. On top of that, a lot of materials cannot be recycled in your local recycling bin and have to go to a special facility that is not accessible for all people.
As a college student living in D.C. I found that there are some local resources other D.C. residents can utilize to help recycle and reduce the footprint that we have. There are many more resources in D.C. and nationwide, but I chose to highlight the ones that are the most accessible to college students.
Recycling at Home
Recycling can be more tricky. Not all plastic are recyclable in your public recycling can and the materials have to be under certain conditions to be recycled. For all the listed materials below, make sure that they are clean with no stains or residue because then they are ineligible for recycling. If you have some residue left on the recyclable material, cut it off. This list is from ZeroWasteDC (zerowaste.dc.gov).
Paper
- Cups and Containers
- Flattened Cardboard
- Juice and Soup Cartons
- Newspaper/Magazines/Books
No Tissues!!!
Plastic
- Cups and Containers
- Bottles and Lids
- Bulky Items
No Plastic Bags, Foam Polysyrene, Straws or Utensils!!
Metal and Glass
- Steel and Aluminum Bottles/Cans/Containers/Jars
No Paint Cans or Ceramics!!
Mom’s Organic Market
When you need to get some more groceries, check out Mom/s Organic Market in Ivy City- and bring your food waste and items that you cannot recycle in your home’s recycling bin. Mom’s Organic Market lets its customers recycle waste such as:
- Plastic Bags
- Phones, Tablets, and their chargers
- Shoes
- Batteries
- Glasses
- Cork
- Food Waste (for compost)
These can all be recycled on a daily basis. Annually, Mom’s Organic Market holds recycling drives for denim and holiday lights.
Composting at Farmers Markets
In addition to the produce and products you can buy at a Farmers Market, D.C. allows its residents to dispose of food waste for compost at local farmers market locations. You can visit Zero Waste D.C. (zero waste.dc.gov) for more information.
Litterless- Nationwide Compost and Zero Waste Stores
Litterless is an online resource with multiple zero waste and composting items for residents of all states. If you need to find a place to buy in bulk that is close to your home, check out Litterless (litterless.com) for more information.
Reusable Items for the Win!
It can be hard to avoid plastic while living on campus. Making ends meet is a struggle a lot of college students face and the cheapest options might just have plastic in them. The best thing you can do is opt for products that can be reused over and over. This cuts the amount of waste you produce and the less you have to recycle.