Real-world examples of how to properly sort recyclable materials at home and work

Everyday kitchen examples of how to properly sort recyclable materials

Let’s start where most of the confusion happens: the kitchen. This is where you’ll find some of the best examples of how to properly sort recyclable materials because you deal with the same items over and over.

Think about a typical weeknight dinner:

You finish a can of black beans, a glass pasta sauce jar, a plastic salad container, a cardboard cereal box, and a greasy pizza box from last Friday hiding on the counter. Here’s how to handle each one.

Aluminum cans (soda, beans, tomatoes)
These are the easy wins. Empty them fully, give them a quick rinse so there’s no food sloshing around, and toss them in the recycling bin loose (not inside a bag). You don’t need to peel off labels. This is a classic example of a highly recyclable material that almost every curbside program accepts.

Glass jars (pasta sauce, pickles, salsa)
Empty the jar, give it a quick rinse, and remove any metal lid. The jar goes in recycling; the metal lid usually does too, but separately. A real example: your pasta sauce jar goes in glass; its metal lid with the white lining goes with metals. If your city doesn’t take glass curbside, you’d collect these in a box and drop them at a local glass recycling site instead.

Plastic clamshells (salad containers, berry boxes)
These are where things get tricky. In 2024–2025, many U.S. cities still do not accept clear plastic clamshells, even if they have a recycling symbol. Some do. A practical example of how to properly sort recyclable materials here: check your local program’s website for whether it accepts #1 PET clamshells, not just bottles. If accepted, remove stickers if easy, empty all food, and recycle. If not accepted, they belong in the trash.

Cardboard cereal boxes
Flatten the box to save space, toss any plastic inner bag in the trash (unless your local program accepts that type of plastic film at a drop-off), and recycle the cardboard. This is a straightforward example of good sorting: paper-based outer packaging, yes; mixed-material inner packaging, usually no.

Greasy pizza boxes
Here’s one of the best examples of common confusion. Clean cardboard is recyclable; cardboard soaked with oil and cheese is not. In many areas, you can tear off the clean lid and recycle that, while the greasy bottom goes in the trash or, if available, food/compost collection. This is a perfect example of how to properly sort recyclable materials by separating the recyclable part from the contaminated part.

Bathroom and laundry room examples of how to properly sort recyclable materials

The bathroom is often overlooked, but it’s full of good examples of items that can be recycled when sorted correctly.

Shampoo and conditioner bottles
Use up as much product as possible, put the cap back on, and rinse if there’s a lot of residue. Most programs accept rigid plastic bottles labeled #1 or #2. This is a clear example of how to properly sort recyclable materials: rigid plastic bottles, yes; flexible pouches, usually no.

Toothpaste tubes and floss containers
Most standard toothpaste tubes are not accepted in curbside recycling because they’re made from layers of plastic and aluminum. Same with floss containers. These are examples of items that look recyclable but usually go in the trash unless your brand participates in a mail-back recycling program.

Toilet paper and paper towel rolls
The cardboard tubes are widely accepted. Flatten them and put them with paper/cardboard. A real example: if you’re breaking down shipping boxes, toss the cardboard rolls in at the same time.

Laundry detergent jugs
These big plastic containers (#2 HDPE) are some of the best examples of high-value recyclables. Rinse them, replace the cap, and recycle. The measuring cup can usually be recycled too if it’s rigid plastic and your program accepts that type.

Office and school examples of how to properly sort recyclable materials

Whether you’re at work, school, or a home office, paper is the star here.

Printer paper, notebooks, and envelopes
Plain paper, sticky notes, and most envelopes are accepted. Remove plastic windows from envelopes only if your local program asks you to (many systems can handle them). Spiral notebook covers made of plastic or vinyl are a good example of something that may need to be separated: paper pages in recycling, plastic cover in trash.

Cardboard shipping boxes from online orders
Online shopping has exploded, and so has cardboard. Flatten boxes, remove plastic tape if it’s easy (don’t stress about every tiny piece), and recycle. This is one of the best examples of how to properly sort recyclable materials in a way that helps recycling facilities run smoothly.

Paper coffee cups and lids
Here’s a classic “looks recyclable, often isn’t” example. Many paper coffee cups are lined with plastic, which makes them hard to recycle. Some cities accept them; many don’t. Plastic lids may be accepted if they’re a type your program takes (often #1 or #5). A real example: in many U.S. cities, the sleeve (plain cardboard) is recyclable, the lid might be recyclable, but the cup goes in the trash. Check your local guidance.

Packaging examples: how to sort mixed materials correctly

Modern packaging loves to mix materials, which makes sorting more confusing. Here are real-world examples of how to properly sort recyclable materials when one product uses several different components.

Cereal or snack boxes with plastic windows
If the plastic window is small, many programs can handle it, and you can recycle the box as is. If it’s large and easy to remove, that’s an example of going the extra mile: tear it out and trash the plastic, recycle the box.

Mailers from online shopping
This is a big 2024–2025 trend. You might get:

• All-cardboard mailers: flatten and recycle with cardboard.
• Plastic bubble mailers: usually not accepted curbside; they go in trash unless your area has special film drop-off.
• Paper mailers with bubble wrap inside: mixed-material examples that generally belong in the trash unless you can separate the layers (paper to recycling, plastic to trash).

Metal cans with plastic lids (coffee, nuts, drink mixes)
In many programs, the metal can is recyclable if it’s mostly metal or cardboard with a thin metal layer. The plastic lid is often recyclable too, but separately. A good example: your ground coffee can—rinse it, recycle the metal or cardboard body, and check your local rules for the lid.

Real examples of sorting by material type

Sometimes it helps to think in categories instead of individual products. Here are real examples of how to properly sort recyclable materials by type.

Paper and cardboard examples

Examples include:

• Newspapers, magazines, catalogs
• Office paper, school worksheets, junk mail
• Cardboard boxes, shoe boxes, tissue boxes

All of these usually go in the recycling bin clean and dry. Wet, moldy, or food-soaked paper is a classic example of something that should be composted (if allowed) or trashed instead of recycled.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, paper and cardboard still make up a large share of what Americans recycle every year, and clean fiber is in steady demand for new products (EPA recycling basics).

Metal examples

Examples include:

• Aluminum beverage cans
• Steel food cans (soup, vegetables, pet food)
• Clean aluminum foil and trays (if your local program accepts them)

A real example of good sorting: you finish a tray of baked lasagna. If the aluminum tray is mostly clean, you can rinse and recycle it where accepted. If it’s heavily coated with burnt cheese that won’t come off, that’s an example of an item that belongs in the trash.

Plastic examples

Plastics are where people get overwhelmed, but simple patterns help.

Often accepted examples include:

• #1 and #2 bottles and jugs (water, milk, juice, detergent)
• Some #5 containers (yogurt cups, margarine tubs) where listed by your local program

Often not accepted examples include:

• Plastic bags and film (grocery bags, bread bags, shrink wrap) in curbside bins
• Foam packaging (Styrofoam)
• Flexible pouches (chip bags, juice pouches, many refill packs)

A practical example: your yogurt cup. If your program accepts #5 plastics, you scrape out leftover yogurt, give it a quick rinse, and recycle the cup. The foil lid usually goes in the trash unless your program accepts small pieces of aluminum.

Glass examples

Where glass is collected, examples include:

• Beverage bottles (wine, beer, juice)
• Food jars (salsa, jam, pickles)

Colored and clear glass are often accepted together in single-stream systems, but some drop-off sites separate them. A real example of what not to do: drinking glasses, mirrors, and ceramics usually do not go in the glass recycling bin because they melt at different temperatures and contaminate the batch.

Common mistakes: examples of what should not go in the recycling bin

Sometimes the best examples of how to properly sort recyclable materials come from seeing what goes wrong.

Bagging recyclables in plastic
Many facilities can’t safely open plastic bags on the sorting line, so they treat bagged material as trash. A real example: if you neatly bag all your recyclables in a grocery bag and toss it in the cart, there’s a good chance the whole bag gets thrown away at the facility. Recyclables should go in the bin loose.

Food-soiled containers
A peanut butter jar with a thick layer of peanut butter still inside is a classic example of a problem item. Light residue is okay; half-full is not. Scrape it out, quick rinse, then recycle.

Wishcycling
“Wishcycling” is tossing something in the recycling bin because you hope it’s recyclable. Examples include garden hoses, wires, clothing, toys, and random plastic bits with no clear label. These can jam machinery or contaminate loads. The better habit: if you’re unsure, check your city’s website or app. Many U.S. cities now offer searchable tools for exactly this.

The EPA has updated guidance and tools in recent years to help people understand what really gets recycled and how to improve local systems (EPA sustainable materials management).

2024–2025 trends that affect how you sort recyclables

Recycling rules aren’t frozen in time. A few current trends shape modern examples of how to properly sort recyclable materials:

More focus on quality, not just quantity
Cities are tightening contamination limits. That means your local program may be stricter about things like plastic bags, food residue, and mixed materials. Clean, well-sorted recyclables are more likely to become new products instead of getting discarded.

Standardized labels and apps
You’ll see more products with clear “How2Recycle” style labels and more cities offering online tools to check specific items. A real example: scanning a product barcode in your city’s recycling app to see whether it belongs in recycling, trash, or a special drop-off.

Expanded food scrap and organics collection
More communities are adding compost or organics bins. That changes how you sort: food and very dirty paper may go in organics, while clean paper and containers go in recycling. It’s another example of why local rules matter.

The Recycling Partnership and other organizations track these changes and provide updated guidance to cities and residents (The Recycling Partnership).

Putting it into practice: a simple mental checklist

To turn these real examples of how to properly sort recyclable materials into an everyday habit, run through a quick mental checklist whenever you’re unsure:

• Is it on my city’s “yes” list? Check the website or magnet on your fridge.
• Is it clean and mostly empty? If not, can you rinse or scrape it quickly?
• Is it one main material? Pure paper, metal, glass, or rigid plastic is usually a better bet than complex mixed packaging.
• Am I guessing? If you’re truly guessing, that’s an example of when it’s better to check first instead of wishcycling.

As you practice, these examples will stop feeling like rules on a page and start feeling like muscle memory. You’ll recognize patterns: bottles and cans, yes; tangled cords and plastic bags, no; clean cardboard, yes; greasy cardboard, no.

And that’s the real goal here: using clear, real-world examples of how to properly sort recyclable materials so you can make confident, low-stress decisions every time you take out the trash and recycling.

FAQs: examples of common recycling questions

Q: Can you give an example of something people recycle that actually belongs in the trash?
A: A classic example is the disposable coffee cup. People see paper and toss it in recycling, but many cups are lined with plastic and not accepted in curbside programs. In many cities, only the cardboard sleeve is recyclable, while the cup and plastic lid go in the trash.

Q: What are some examples of plastic items I should never put in my curbside recycling?
A: Examples include plastic bags and film, chip bags, candy wrappers, foam takeout containers, and plastic utensils. These items either jam sorting equipment or don’t have stable markets. Many grocery stores offer separate drop-off bins for clean plastic bags and film, which is a better option than your curbside cart.

Q: Are there examples of paper that should not be recycled?
A: Yes. Examples include used tissues, paper towels, napkins, and heavily food-soiled pizza boxes. These fibers are often too short and contaminated for recycling. In some communities, they can go into food or yard waste collection instead.

Q: What’s a good example of preparing an item correctly before recycling it?
A: A metal soup can is a great example. You empty it completely, give it a quick rinse, push the sharp lid carefully inside the can if safe (or recycle it separately), and place the can in the bin loose. That one small step makes it much easier and safer to process.

Q: Where can I find reliable examples and local rules for my specific area?
A: Start with your city or county’s solid waste or public works website. Many now have searchable “What goes where” tools. For broader guidance and examples of national trends, the U.S. EPA’s recycling pages are a solid reference point, and local utilities or regional recycling organizations often publish updated lists of accepted materials.