Even though you can get Internet access in the Sahara these days, we don’t always have time to fact-check every wild opinion that floats around. And as we all know, the Internet absorbs everything, sometimes leaving us with content that makes you wonder if the authors accidentally drank gasoline instead of coffee. To save your time—and your sanity—today we’re going to bust a few myths from the world of waste-sorting and consumer culture!
Here are our TOP 8 harmful beliefs about waste and environmental protection:
Actually, waste collection companies are *required* to collect trash separately, and mixing it up wouldn’t make sense for them financially. Modern garbage trucks have multiple compartments to keep different types of waste separate, or they collect specific types on designated days. For the curious minds out there: check with your local waste company and see for yourself!
Even seemingly harmless organic waste should leave the forest with you. Why?
If this were a game show, there’d be a big red X on the screen right now.
Why all the fuss over a tiny cigarette butt? The filter is a serious polluter—it releases cancer-causing chemicals like arsenic, lead, and nicotine into the environment and takes decades to break down (no, it’s not paper; it’s mainly made of slow-to-decompose cellulose acetate).
Nope. No need to waste water—the containers are washed at the sorting facility. You just need to make sure they’re empty and put them in the correct bin. More and more manufacturers are adding labels to their products, indicating which bin to use. Keep an eye out for those to make sorting easier!
Ah yes, the old classic. We can already feel the thunderstorm of opinions brewing. Not doing your part for the environment because “others” aren’t either—usually with a good foot stomp for emphasis—might get a toddler on your side, but it won’t work on us.
Sure, most of the environmental mess comes from industrial big shots, politicians, and a few celebs who apparently need a private jet for their afternoon cappuccino. But that doesn’t mean we should grab a VIP pass to the "I-don’t-care" club and ignore scientists waving their eco-warning flags. We get it—you can’t save the whole planet with a reusable grocery bag. But that’s no reason to shrug off your own bit of responsibility. Trust us, we feel the frustration too—our foreheads are practically pulsing with every new political facepalm we witness. But we keep doing our thing and don’t let, say, the neighbor who treats recycling like an optional sport, mess with our values.
Alright. Let’s settle this once and for all.
The easiest rule to remember: flush ONLY #1, #2, and toilet paper (unless you're in a place where you need to throw toilet paper in the trash). Everything else—pads, tampons, cotton pads, wet wipes, chicken bones, and whatever else—goes straight into the bin marked "mixed waste."
Sadly, no—only clean, uncoated paper belongs in the blue bin.
You shouldn’t toss in dirty paper or cardboard, receipts, paper towels or tissues, napkins, sandwich or baking paper, bread bags, wallpaper, photos, milk or juice cartons (a.k.a. tetrapaks), or glossy paper (the shiny, slippery kind) like some magazine covers, brochures, and catalogs.
What about a milk or juice carton? Snip that into the yellow bin (for plastic and metal). The rest of the items mentioned? Those go in the black bin (mixed waste).
So what can go in the paper bin? Clean paper and cardboard (not greasy or covered in paint) and paper not coated in plastic (it can have writing or printing on it), paper or cardboard bags, paper egg cartons, toilet paper and paper towel rolls, and cardboard boxes (just remove the plastic tape, stickers, and any non-paper bits).
If only it were that simple. A lot of stuff excluded from paper, plastic, glass, or compost ends up in mixed waste. But we need to stay alert because some trash, once it’s in the landfill, releases harmful substances.
Here’s why:
Why all the fuss about a tiny lamp or wristwatch tossed in general trash? One single watch battery can pollute 400 liters of water. Damaged electronics can release mercury, bromine, chromium, lead, and freon into the environment. Spoiler alert: these are not the “essential minerals” your doctor had in mind when they told you to boost your diet!
Conspiracy theories are like potato chips—there’s one for everyone. We hope this article helps you toss a few out of the bag.
In a world drowning in info (and the occasional fake news tsunami), it’s natural to want simple, crystal-clear answers. But don’t go “mentally waterproofing” yourself just yet! Before you gobble up a story that claims to reveal a “truth only known to the chosen few,” take a sec to double-check it from other, legit sources.
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