Urgent: 5 Things that Cannot Be Recycled in the Hudson Valley

Do you recycle? Wait, do you think you recycle? Yes, you put the items into the recycle bin, but are they actually supposed to be there? There are so many things that people of the Hudson Valley (and beyond) think should be in the bin, but they only cause drama and headaches for the people doing the sorting.

What can go into the recycle bin? That is easy, water bottles, laundry detergent bottles that you rinsed out, soda cans, soda bottles, those things really do belong in the recycle bin. That is the easy part, right?

Here is the hard part!

What does NOT go into a Hudson Valley recycle bin?

There are a few things that don't go into the bin that, to be honest, I thought did. It wasn't until I was reading the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation's email regarding National Recycling Day. The number one thing I learned that did not go into the recycling was plastic cutlery. Nope, even though they are plastic, they don't get recycled.

Do coffee cups or coffee pods go into the recycling?

Unfortunately, those single-use coffee cups or coffee pods do not go into your recycling. Think about bringing your own thermal, reusable cup when you head to the coffee shop. Granted, not all coffee shops are open to that. If you are a coffee pod user, you can keep your pods to recycle them with a special company, but for the ones I looked into, you had to pay a fee to recycle them. 

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What should you do with your extra dishes when you get new ones? Can you recycle them?

No, old or broken dishes do not go into the recycling bin. If you can take them to a thrift store or donate them, that is the best way to get rid of them. If the dishes are broken, toss them into the regular trash, not the recycling.

Can you put old clothing or towels into the recycling?

If the clothes and towels are still usable, if they still have life in them, you can donate the clothes to a thrift store. If you are wanting to get rid of old towels and they are crummy but still have life in them, consider donating them to a local animal shelter. They always need towels, sheets and blankets.

Lastly, there is one big thing that apparently people think is cool to put into the recycle bin, plastic bags. Nope, the recycling company that picks up the items at the end of your driveway is not equipped to take care of them. Have a big stash of plastic bags? Take them to a grocery store. Grocery stores in New York State are required to have a recycling program. Look for their collection bins near the entrance to the store.

Want to help out the planet even more? Here's how you can adopt a highway: