We all know it's important to recycle and not toss things into the trash or the environment, but how carefully do we need to rinse containers before sending them on their way to the recycling center? Some argue that recycling is a total waste of water when you factor in the amount people are using to get their cans, bottles, and jars squeaky-clean, while others claim containers don't need to be rinsed at all, and some say that the reality lies in the middle ground.
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The real answer is that the rinsing requirements can vary depending on where you are (check this handy guide to get exact deals for your locale), but the bottom line is this: Yes, you still need to rinse recyclables. However, you can do it in an energy-efficient way.
Here's why recyclers ask you to rinse:
- It makes it easier to handle recycling. Imagine dealing with containers partially-filled with food scraps and left to sit around for a while. It would get pretty gross pretty fast. For the comfort of workers, it's nice to rinse things out to keep down mold and mildew and make their working environment more pleasant. (In addition, some molds can cause environmental illness — don't make recycling workers sick!)
- It limits pests. Animals like raccoons are very drawn to food waste. If you put out recycling as you generate it, it may take days or even a couple of weeks before the recycling company picks it up. Over that period, animals may knock your recycling bins over, get inside them and make a mess. That's not fun for you, or for the sanitation workers who have to deal with it.
- It increases the quality of your recycling. Yes, even recycling is graded these days. Even in municipalities where it's okay to throw containers with some food residue in (please compost most of your unused or expired food before recycling as opposed to tossing partially-full containers of mayo in the recycling bin), those containers are a little more difficult to recycle. Ultimately, the food will be burned or rinsed off during processing, but it means a little extra work. When workers sort through recycling during the processing stage, they grade and divide it by cleanliness. If it’s clean, it gets a higher grade, and sells for more. Maybe you don’t care about how much the recycling company profits, but you might care about your trash bill — which will go up if recycling isn't generating enough money to support itself.
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Rinsing bottle image via Shutterstock.