Household junk, or residential waste, isn't limited to what goes into your kitchen trash. It's anything and everything you throw away and is not recycled.

But the problem is that far too much of our residential junk and waste ends up in the waste stream and, ultimately, the landfills. And it doesn't have to.

Dual Stream Recycling, Single Stream Recycling, Wish Recycling

The biggest problem, it seems, with residential waste recycling is recycling. 

Not enough of it is being done and, despite changes in the collection processes and unending education, promotion, and legislation, our recycling rates are still dismally low.

Some of us remember or are aware of the older approach to residential recycling bins when we had to separate our recyclables. This method was deemed more efficient on the receiving end of the process, but most residents disliked it. 

While still being utilized here and there, the dual stream recycling method has been largely replaced with what is known as single stream recycling. 

According to the Container Recycling Institute (CRI) 

Under the single stream system, residents combine paper and containers in a single bin or bag. The bins or bags are collected and placed in a truck. When the bins or bags arrive at the MRF, the recyclables are sorted. The impetus for adopting single-stream was twofold: a belief that the added convenience of not needing to sort would entice more residents to participate in their curbside programs, and the desire to save money by reduced collection costs. While collections costs are lower with a single stream system, processing costs are much higher.

However, regardless of which type of recycling container method is being employed by your city, county, or waste management provider, an even larger issue is causing concern: "Wish-cycling."

An apt explanation is offered by BrightlyEco,

Despite the best of intentions (and often because of them), wish-cycling is when sustainably-focused consumers place questionable items in recycling bins in hopes of them being recycled. While doing so comes from a planet-loving place, it often causes more harm than good.

The article goes on to note how so-called wish-cycling disrupts and hurts recycling:

1. It Wastes Time
Most recycling plants use machines that sort and process recyclables. However, items that cannot be recycled often get caught in the machinery, causing jams. The plant must then shut down temporarily to clear the material from the machinery.

2. It Wastes Money
Sometimes, the non-recyclable materials can not only delay work, they can cause permanent damage to the machinery.  This is costly and, since many municipalities are now having to make cuts to their recycling programs, the expensive repairs can drive them to close down their curbside recycling programs.

3. It Creates Extra Waste
Even though we are hoping to recycle more waste items, wish-cycling often ends up creating more waste. This happens when recycling centers have to throw out the whole batches of recyclables that have been contaminated by non-recyclable items such as greasy pizza boxes.

The problem is not with intent, but from gross lack of education, information, and proper product labeling. Not all plastic trash is recyclable. Not every cardboard or paper product is recyclable. And even some metal containers are not easily recyclable. 

So, it's largely left up to consumers to learn what they can and cannot recycle.

There's More to Recycle Than You Think

At the risk of seeming contradictory, however, it's important to point out that, while many items we put into our paper, plastic, and metal recycling containers are not, in fact, good candidates for recycling, there's much more that are.

And we created this handy guide for just that reason:

So, while everything that might seem like a good candidate for the residential recycling bin can actually be more of a burden on the process, there are other items that really should be recycled.

The problem for homeowners and renters is that many of these items are large and unwieldy. 

How, you may wonder, are you supposed to get these things to a recycling center and, even if you could, how are you supposed to know where to take them? 

Those are great questions. Which is why Junk King Specializes in residential junk removal. 

We know exactly what can be donated, what can be recycled, and what needs to be broken down and disposed of in some other way. We work exceptionally hard to recycle 60 percent or more of everything we bring in from every job. It's a central part of our corporate mission, in fact. 

You might say it's in our DNA...

Your Junk Disposal and Recycling Made Easy

There is a truly simple and efficient option for junk disposal and recycling and that is to call Junk King.

Junk King provides professional junk hauling services to remove any and all of your junk. And this includes anything made with plastic and even your excess trash and garbage. We even have the equipment and teams to remove a large refrigerators and other appliances up small stairways or down your basement steps out through the garage. 

Whatever your junk consists of, Junk King can help you get it out of the way. We provide an eco-friendly junk removal service to help you get rid of any unwanted junk, large trash items, or any old appliances.

Our professional and insured appliance disposal team will show up at your home or office; we call 15 minutes before we arrive on site and we’ll give you a free estimate based on how much room your junk takes up in our truck. You point and we haul your unwanted items into our junk removal trucks, with no hidden fees.

It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3.

You make an appointment by booking online above or by calling 1.888.888.JUNK (5865).