Tossing these in the recycling bin is doing more damage than you realize.
You probably feel a little proud every time you toss something into the recycling bin—and you should. Trying to reduce waste is a good thing. But not everything with a triangle on it actually belongs in there. In fact, some of the stuff you’ve been recycling with the best intentions might be causing more harm than good. It’s frustrating, right? You’re trying to do the responsible thing, but the rules are confusing, and they keep changing.
What makes it worse is that tossing the wrong item in doesn’t just mess up your bin—it can contaminate whole batches of recyclables and make them unusable. So instead of helping the planet, you might be setting the process back without even knowing it. If you’ve ever wondered why your efforts don’t seem to make a difference, this could be one reason. It’s not about doing more—it’s about doing it smarter.
1. You need to stop recycling greasy pizza boxes—they’re ruining whole batches.
It feels natural to toss that empty pizza box into the recycling bin, especially since it’s just cardboard, right? Not quite. Once it’s soaked with oil and cheese residue, it’s basically trash in disguise. The grease contaminates the paper fibers, making them difficult—or impossible—to reuse, say experts at Republic Services. Even a small amount of food residue can cause an entire load of paper recycling to be rejected.
That means your well-meaning act could undo the efforts of your whole neighborhood. If the top of the box is clean, you can tear that off and recycle just that part. But the greasy bottom? It belongs in the trash or compost, not your blue bin. This one’s especially frustrating because it feels so recyclable—but unfortunately, it’s not. When in doubt, check for grease stains. If it’s greasy, it’s gotta go.
2. Tossing plastic bags into your bin is jamming up the recycling system.
Plastic grocery bags seem recyclable because, well, they’re plastic. But most curbside programs can’t handle them. These thin, flexible plastics clog the machinery at sorting facilities, forcing entire systems to shut down for maintenance, according to experts at the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. That wastes time, money, and resources. The bags get tangled in conveyor belts and rotors, creating a nightmare for workers. It’s actually safer and more efficient to take them to designated drop-off spots, usually at grocery stores.
And if you’ve been tossing all kinds of film plastics—like bread bags and cereal liners—into your bin, thinking you’re doing the planet a favor, you’re not alone. Many people make this mistake. The recycling symbol printed on the bag doesn’t automatically mean it’s accepted in your curbside pickup. So keep those bags out of your bin, and find out where they can actually go. You’ll be helping more than you think by not sending them to the wrong place.
3. You should stop recycling disposable coffee cups—they’re more trouble than they’re worth.
It’s paper on the outside, so it must be recyclable, right? That’s what most people assume about coffee cups. But the truth is, they’re usually lined with a thin layer of plastic that keeps them from leaking—and that plastic makes them nearly impossible to recycle in most places, report writers for BASF, the largest chemical producer in the world. The two materials are fused together and can’t be easily separated, so they end up getting trashed anyway.
Some cities have specialized systems that can process them, but unless you’re sure your local facility is one of them, it’s better to skip the bin. And don’t forget the plastic lid and soggy sleeve—they add even more confusion to the mix. If you really want to cut back on waste, the best solution is to bring your own reusable mug. Until then, just know that recycling a takeout coffee cup usually does more harm than good.
4. Stop tossing shredded paper into the recycling bin—it’s just making a mess.
Shredded paper seems harmless. It’s still paper, after all. But those tiny little pieces cause big problems at sorting centers. They’re too small to be separated properly and often end up contaminating other materials, like glass or plastic. Once that happens, the whole batch can get tossed in the trash.
On top of that, shredded paper is less useful to recyclers because the fibers are already broken down, which limits its potential to be turned into something new. If you have to shred for security reasons, bag it up and check if your local recycling center has a separate drop-off for it. Otherwise, consider composting it. Or, better yet, switch to digital documents and avoid the paper trail altogether. Recycling is all about preserving materials—but when it comes to shreds, you’re mostly creating confusion, not conservation.
5. You can’t keep recycling dirty takeout containers—they’re contaminating the load.
That leftover lo mein container might look like clean plastic, but if it’s got even a smudge of sauce or grease, it’s a problem. Food residue is one of the biggest issues in recycling, and it can spoil everything around it. Once a greasy container hits the bin, it can drip onto paper and cardboard, rendering it all unusable. Even if the container is marked with a recyclable number, it has to be completely clean to make the cut. Most of us aren’t scrubbing every takeout box before tossing it, and recycling centers know it.
That’s why a lot of them don’t even accept this type of plastic anymore. If you want to recycle right, rinse it thoroughly—or just toss it if it’s too messy. It feels wasteful, but it actually protects the integrity of the materials that can be recycled properly.
6. Stop putting wet paper towels and napkins in the bin—they’re not recyclable.
It’s easy to assume that anything paper-based can go into the recycling, but napkins and paper towels are the exception. They’ve already been made from recycled fibers and are at the end of their useful life. Add moisture, food residue, or cleaning chemicals into the mix, and you’ve got something that can’t be processed further. Wet paper products break down too easily and clog sorting machines.
Plus, the contamination they carry spreads to other recyclables, making the whole batch more difficult to salvage. The better option? Compost them—especially if they’ve only been used with water or food. Recycling is great, but it has limits, and this is one of them. It’s not that these items are evil—they’re just in the wrong bin. Your compost pile will thank you, and so will your local recycling center.
7. Don’t recycle broken glass—it’s dangerous and doesn’t belong in the bin.
Glass jars and bottles are usually fine, but broken glass is another story. It poses serious risks to workers handling recycling and can damage the machinery. On top of that, not all glass is created equal—window glass, mirrors, light bulbs, and cookware are made from different materials than beverage bottles and often melt at different temperatures. Mixing them together messes up the recycling process.
Even if the glass is technically recyclable, its condition matters. If it’s shattered, it’s better off wrapped up and sent to the trash or a proper glass collection site if your city has one. Recycling isn’t just about materials—it’s about the system that handles them. When you toss in broken glass, you’re throwing a wrench into the works. And you might be putting someone at risk in the process.
8. You need to stop recycling plastic utensils—they’re rarely accepted.
They seem like an easy win for the bin—small, lightweight, made of plastic. But disposable forks, spoons, and knives are almost never accepted by curbside recycling programs. The type of plastic used is often low-grade and not profitable to recycle, plus their size makes them slip through sorting machines and get mixed into other materials. That creates a contamination issue, which can lead to whole loads being rejected.
It’s frustrating because you want to do the right thing, but these items are better off avoided altogether. If you’re eating out or ordering in, consider carrying a reusable utensil set in your bag or car. It’s a simple swap that can make a big difference. Until more cities figure out how to recycle these items efficiently, plastic cutlery is just another false friend in your bin.
9. Quit recycling plastic clamshell containers—they’re confusing and mostly useless.
Those clear plastic containers your salad or berries come in look recyclable, and they often have a number printed on the bottom. But most recycling programs don’t want them. Clamshells are made from a different type of plastic than bottles, and the sorting process often can’t distinguish between the two.
They also tend to have food residue, labels, and tricky shapes that complicate things even more. In the end, they often end up in the landfill anyway—even if you did your best to clean and sort them. Some specialty recycling centers accept them, but they’re rare. If you see these stacking up in your bin, it might be time to rethink how often you’re buying them. Bringing your own container to the store or choosing items with less packaging can be a smarter, low-stress option.
10. Recycling frozen food boxes is trickier than you think—they’re lined with plastic.
Frozen food packaging is designed to hold up against moisture and cold, which means it’s often coated with a thin layer of plastic or wax. That coating keeps your meals from getting soggy—but it also keeps the box from breaking down properly in the recycling stream. Unlike regular cardboard, these boxes don’t soak through and separate easily during processing. As a result, they often get filtered out and sent to the landfill anyway.
It’s another case of something that looks recyclable but just isn’t—at least not in most curbside programs. Some areas do accept them, but you’ll need to check carefully. Otherwise, they’re just cluttering up the bin and causing more work at the sorting facility. It’s frustrating when something that feels eco-friendly ends up being the opposite, but knowing the difference helps the whole system run better.
11. Don’t recycle toothpaste tubes and other squeezable plastic tubes—they’re too tricky to process.
They might feel like regular plastic, but toothpaste tubes and similar squeeze tubes (think lotion or ointments) are made from layers of different materials—often plastic mixed with aluminum. That combo makes them tough to break down and nearly impossible to recycle through standard programs. Even the shape causes problems, since leftover product inside is hard to remove, and the flexible design doesn’t sort well on the conveyor belts.
Some brands now offer recyclable versions or mail-back programs, but unless you’re using those, your tube is most likely landfill-bound. Tossing them in the bin just adds to the mess and slows everything down. If you’re looking for a better option, try toothpaste tablets or brands with sustainable packaging. Until the industry catches up, these tubes are better kept out of the bin.