Recycling has become a part of daily life. When discarding items, people of all ages now know to deposit trash like food waste into traditional trash bins while items like cans and glass jars are placed in bins designated for recyclables. Many communities even have separate collection days for recyclables.
Such routines have become rote, but there might be more to recycling than people realize. Many more items than bottles, cans and cardboard can be recycled. Keep America Beautiful, a nonprofit organization that aims to reduce litter and increase recycling, notes the following are some recyclable items that people may not recognize can be disposed of differently.
Batteries: There are many different types of batteries, and they can each be recycled in different ways. Keep America Beautiful notes that recycling batteries helps to prevent toxic leaks in landfills. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that the metals found in batteries, which include mercury and lead, pose a threat to human health and the environment. The EPA also notes that some batteries contain critical minerals like cobalt, lithium and graphite that have a high supply risk potential. Recycling such batteries...