Myth 1: Recycling Just Goes to Landfill
This is the most damaging myth in recycling. The reality: the vast majority of materials dropped off at certified recycling centers are processed and sold to manufacturers. Aluminum from recycling centers is nearly universally remelted — it's too valuable to discard. Paper, cardboard, and glass have established markets.
Contamination can cause loads to be landfilled, which is why proper sorting matters. But the solution is better sorting, not giving up on recycling altogether.
Myth 2: You Need to Remove Every Label
Paper labels on glass jars and tin cans burn off during the melting process and don't need to be removed. Adhesive labels on plastic bottles are also generally fine — they're removed during processing.
What you DO need to do: rinse containers to remove food residue. A light rinse is enough. Food contamination (not labels) is what causes whole batches to be rejected.
Myth 3: All Plastics Are Recyclable
Plastic recycling numbers (1–7) indicate resin type, not recyclability in your local program. Plastics #1 (PET) and #2 (HDPE) have strong markets and are accepted almost everywhere. Plastics #3–7 have weaker or no markets in many areas and may not be accepted at your local center.
Always check what plastics your specific center or curbside program accepts. When in doubt, leave it out — wishful recycling (putting non-accepted items in bins hoping they'll be recycled) causes contamination.
Myth 4: Recycling Is Not Worth the Energy
Making products from recycled materials almost always uses less energy than making them from virgin raw materials. Recycled aluminum uses 95% less energy than primary aluminum production. Recycled paper uses about 40% less energy than virgin paper. Recycled glass uses about 30% less energy.
The energy savings, combined with reduced mining, logging, and manufacturing impacts, make recycling a net positive even accounting for collection and processing energy.
Myth 5: Small Items Can't Be Recycled
Small items like bottle caps and jar lids can clog sorting machinery and often fall through screens into trash at sorting facilities. Collect small metal items (caps, lids, small scraps) and put them inside a larger steel or aluminum can before sealing the top. Alternatively, some drop-off centers have specific bins for small metals.