17 things you should never recycle — even if you think you can (2024)

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Styrofoam

Styrofoam is one of the most commonly-known non-recyclable materials. It's made of polystyrene, a material that isn't biodegradable.

The best solution is to avoid Styrofoam altogether in favor of more earth-friendly materials. There may be some facilities near you that accept it, though.

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Bubble wrap

Although many plastics can be recycled, the particular kind of plastic bubble wrap is made from cannot be recycled, because the thin film can tangle in recycling machines.

However, there are many locations that will accept the wrap.

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Cords

While all parts of the power cord are recyclable, it will be difficult for you to separate those parts. You can, however, find somewhere that recycles electronics and cords.

Options include your community's e-waste facility — which is often located near the hazardous household items facility — or keep an eye out for e-waste collection events put on by local offices in your area.

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Aerosol cans

Whether they contain non-hazardous liquid like whipped cream or hazardous liquid like spray paint, aerosol cans generally shouldn't be recycled. This is mainly due to the pressurized air inside of the cans.

Some cities may have the capabilities to recycle completely empty cans though, so check with your local program. Chances are, your community will either allow aerosol cans to be recycled with other metal cans, or they'll require them to go into a separate disposal for household hazardous waste.

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Grocery bags

You may have noticed a plastic recycling bin outside your local grocery store. That's because curbside recycling programs typically don't accept plastic bags, and store recycling is your only option.

Trying to recycle plastic bags normally has serious consequences. First, the bags will take hundreds of years to decompose because the plastic isn't biodegradable, and second, plastic bags are a huge source of marine debris.

Batteries

Single-use batteries can be recycled at many locations or using mail-in programs, but not in your curbside bin. The same applies to rechargeable and car batteries.

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Mirrors

Mirrors are hard to recycle due to the coating used on the glass to make it reflective. Recycling mirror glass with regular glass will make the regular glass unusable.

If your mirror is in one piece, try donating it. If it's broken, it's perfect for craft projects. If you're not into crafting, you can throw mirror pieces away, but be sure to wrap them in newspaper so they don't injure the people handling your garbage.

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Clothes hangers

Wire hangers aren't usually made of pure metal, and plastic hangers aren't always pure plastic, so neither are recyclable.

Some places like New York City allow you to toss your wire hangers with the rest of your recycling, but most other places won't accept them because their curved ends can be problematic when sorting.

You may be able to donate them to your local thrift store to get them off your hands.

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Medical needles

Needles and other medical waste belongs in a hazardous waste facility or they should be collected and mailed back using one of many national programs.

Paper towels

There are several reasons paper towels shouldn't be recycled. The first is that they often have food or other residue on them that can contaminate other recyclables. The second is that they've probably already been recycled, and their fibers are too short to go through the process again.

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Pizza boxes

Although the cardboard boxes pizzas come in are recyclable, there's one problem — the bits of food that's probably still left inside them.

If you ever have a pizza box completely free of grease and cheese, you'd be able to recycle it. Otherwise, you should just throw it away.

Clothing

Old clothing, towels, and bedding are best suited for local thrift stores or shelters, assuming they're in good condition, of course. If that's not the case, many brands, like Patagonia, take old clothing back for reuse — some even have recycling bins in store.

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Toys

Plastic toys are made of a variety of plastics, so recycling them is iffy. But just like clothes, there are plenty of thrift stores, shelters, and daycare centers who would love to have your gently-used toys. For electronic toys, many states offer e-waste programs.

Dishes

Though ceramics are technically recyclable, most curbside recycling programs will not accept them. The same goes for Pyrex and other heat-treated glass dishes. They can contaminate an entire batch of recycled glass and are better off being thrown out as garbage.

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Flammable liquids

Gasoline, motor oil, and other automotive fluids should absolutely never be tossed into your recycling bin, but they probably shouldn't be tossed in the garbage either. Try finding a local facility that's able to take them.

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Scrap wood

Wood treated with any kind of finishing can't be recycled.

The chemicals found in wood treatments make it unsafe to burn for heat or energy. Untreated wood may be recyclable, depending on your city, or you can find a home for it in a DIY project.

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Cleaning products

Assuming your products come in plastic containers and not aerosol cans, they can probably be recycled as long as they're completely empty.

Be careful how you dispose of any extra liquid though, since a select few could damage your septic tank if poured down the sink.