As we all know, by recycling, we reduce the amount that ends up in landfills, thus reducing green house gases. With landfills known to produce millions of tons of carbon dioxide and methane (the two prominent green house gases some scientists attribute to global warming,) by recycling we’re doing our part to reduce waste and save the planet.

To get you started, here’s a list of common things that can be recycled:

Paper, of all types, including newspaper and telephone books

Cardboard (non waxed)

Car and truck tires

Used oil

Batteries

Wood products, including tree limbs, construction and demolition debris

Yard Debris, including grass clippings, leaves, and brush

Asphalt

Rocks

Steel, brass, copper, tin, aluminum and other metal products

Glass containers

Plastic bottles and milk jugs (without lids)

Aluminum containers, such as pop cans

Appliances

Computer and Office Equipment

Cell Phones

Printer Cartridges

Eyeglasses

Many of these items can be recycled and used to create more of the same. Whereas as an item, such as wood and yard debris can be ground up and the end product becomes compost, or a biomass fuel.

You wouldn’t think rocks are recyclable, however, many people use them to build retainer walls or raised beds. In larger communities, many rock supply companies crush rock to create gravel type products.

Used tires are often ground up, and used as a playground ground cover.

If recycling and global warming are issues that tug at your heart strings, think about what part you can play in stopping these items from ending up in landfills. It may be as simple as utilizing curbside recycling bins, or something larger like creating a recycling business.

So there you have it.  A few answers to your question,  “What can be recycled?”

Often nature takes over and the piles of wood chips begin to decompose. This natural process leads to an obvious use – compost.

Other clean wood waste* uses:

1. For lumber reuse – in products such as particle board or chipboard.
2. To manufacture pulp and paper products
3. As animal bedding
4. As mulch – which is often used for weed control
5. As biomass fuel or hog fuel – burnt to produce heat and/or generate electricity
6. As a bulking agent for compost products
7. As a soil amendment – often mixed in with screened top soil material
8. As ground cover – Used naturally or dyed
9. For dust control
10. Used inside of mess or burlap/jute bags which are then used for erosion control.

*Clean wood waste is any wood that is derived from wood recycling or chipping processes that produce wood products that are free of contaminants or hazardous materials such as glue, lead paint, asbestos, etc.

It is also important the wood chips are free of metals such as nails or screws, as well as broken glass. When selling wood chips for reuse, check with the buyer for their guidelines. To ensure the quality of wood chips, random checks should be performed.

For an example of the heavy equipment we used for our wood recycling and composting business, see the post titled: How To Separate Rock from Wood Products”.

As mentioned in  “What Can Be Recycled”, the wood products that are recyclable are tree branches, brush, stumps, small trees, and clean scrap wood from new construction. Some wood products that are the result of a building being demolished can also be ground up and recycled.* Larger trees are usually limbed and sold as timber** or cut up for firewood.

*Although many of these products can be recycled and/or reused, great care must be given to the handling of hazardous materials which may be generated from demolition jobs. Hazardous materials can include surfaces covered in lead paint or mold, asbestos, wood products treated with preservatives and/or containing glue, just to name a few. Hazardous material must be disposed of in accordance to local, State and Federal laws.

**When cutting down trees which will be sold for timber, check with your local US Forest Service for their reporting requirements. Timber that is sold to others may be subject to a Federal (and possibly a State) timber tax. If in doubt, consult your attorney.