Recycling and becoming more environmentally conscious is becoming more and more important. Thankfully, there are lots of ways we can all get involved and do our bit to help protect our environment.
Dry mixed recycling, often referred to as ‘DMR’, is one of the most cost-effective and popular ways of disposing of clean, and most importantly, uncontaminated waste recyclable materials.
Two of the most common questions we’re asked are, ‘What is dry mixed recycling’? and ‘What is the best way to dispose of it’?
To help you on your journey to better recycling, we have put together some information and top tips so you can be sure you are recycling your waste efficiently.
What Is Dry Mixed Recycling?
For those wondering what is dry mixed recycling we have complied a helpful list of some common items:
| Food Cans Drinks Cans Aluminium Foil Aluminium Food Containers | Plastic bottles Plastic cups Milk bottles Plastic packaging | Corrugated card Cardboard boxes Greeting cardsBrown paper | Plain white paper Newspapers Magazines Shredded paper |
It’s important to note that any food or drink containers whether plastic or metal must be clean and dry before being disposed of. Any remnants of food can be considered as contamination and should not be placed in dry mixed recycling.
All dry mixed waste can be disposed of in the same bin or container for recycling. Once collected, it is sorted at Material Recovery Facilities where it is separated, and processed for recycling.
All waste is inspected for contamination i.e. food waste and any waste that contains traces of contamination is separated from the materials which can be recycled.
What Can’t Go In Dry Mixed Recycling?
There are lots of items that are prohibited and should be recycled separately. These include, but are not limited to:
| Food waste and liquids Sanitary waste Glass and ceramics Waxed paper cups | Crisp packets and other packaging with tin foil Electrical items Black bags/carrier bags | Bubble wrap and cling film Polystyrene Wood Textiles and clothing items |
Hazardous containers such as paint tins or bleach bottles also must not be placed in dry mixed recycling.
What Are The Advantages?
Fire and foremost, it helps to reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfills which reduces a range of environmental and health issues.
Recycling also helps to protect our ecosystems and wildlife as it reduces the demand to grow and extract raw materials which can cause a lot of disruption to the local environment and ecosystems.
It also affords an easier way to recycle as materials can be placed together and there is no requirement to spend much time or effort sorting waste into different bins.
KCM Waste Recycling Services
At KCM, we have a wide range of waste management services to assist both residential and commercial clients.
We can recycle waste materials including dry mixed recycling, trade waste, hazardous waste and much more. We provide our services via our recycling sites in Sheffield and Rotherham.
Our business waste collections are usually based on either a weekly or fortnightly schedule to suit your requirements. However, we can of course tailor our service to suit a frequency that supports your business and recycling needs.