How Do I Throw This Away? A Guide to Properly Disposing of Almost Anything

I saw the movie WALL-E and it scared the pants off me–simply because it seemed so very possible. For those who haven’t watched this horror film disguised as children’s entertainment, humanity is forced to abandon Earth because the planet is engulfed in trash. 

Controlling our trash is easier said than done. A common sight in my house is me, holding an object I no longer want, trying to decide if there’s a place I can donate it, a way to repurpose it, or if I have to throw it away. And if I throw it away, does it go in recycling or trash or maybe it qualifies for green waste? Phones, clothes, toys, bedding, packaging, paint cans, lightbulbs…

Getting rid of what we don’t want isn’t easy these days.

While we take the steps we can to reduce the amount of future trash we acquire, all too frequently the moment comes when, however the item got into our hands, we want to get rid of it.

Table of contents:

• How much waste does the average American produce?
• 3 strategies to reduce household waste
• Why it’s important to dispose of items properly
• What goes where in home disposal bins
• What to do with items instead of throwing them away
• Why recycling rules vary by city
• What is wishcycling and why is it a problem?
• 5 basic recycling rules
• How to dispose of common household items
• Every step towards less waste matters

How much waste does the average American produce? Plus, other trashy facts

The best data about trash generation in the United States comes from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with the caveat that the EPA has not updated their data since 2018. However, in every year that the data has been updated from 1960-2018, the amount of trash generated in the U.S. has only increased, by roughly 2% per year. Nearly 60 years of uninterrupted escalation likely means that the amount of trash generated since 2018 has only continued to grow.

Trash facts:

• The U.S. threw away 292.4 million tons of municipal solid waste in 2018. (“Municipal solid waste” includes items placed in all curbside collected bins, whether destined for landfills, recycling, or composting facilities. In the data, it is all called “trash.”)  

• That works out to about 5 pounds of trash per day per person in America. 

• Of the nearly 300 million tons of trash, 50% went to landfills.  

• Food waste makes up 24% of landfill-bound waste, where it becomes a major source of human-caused methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. This makes food waste, most of which is readily compostable, the most misdirected material in trash generation.  

• Only about 21% of recyclable residential material is actually captured for recycling. Less than 10% of recyclable plastics gets recycled. Most of the rest ends up in landfills or burned for energy. 

• Things don’t biodegrade readily in a landfill. Materials that easily biodegrade elsewhere, such as food, paper, or even natural-fiber fabrics, do not break down in landfills. Landfill material is compacted so tightly, the necessary oxygen, moisture, and temperature for biodegradation are squeezed out. Items in landfills are astoundingly well-preserved. 

• Among common household materials that get tossed into landfills, plastic bottles and glass jars take the longest to break down. And yet, both of these items are readily recyclable.  

My takeaway here is that the biggest current problem with trash in America is human error. If materials were correctly sorted, our landfills would be less full and produce less methane, and our recycling efforts would be more effective. But there are even more simple steps each of us can take.

3 strategies to reduce household waste

Waste reduction is all about planning ahead and engaging in a little mindfulness. Here are three strategies:

1. Buy with the end in mind. 

Everything you buy eventually is gotten rid of. Therefore, before you buy, ask yourself a few questions in order to reduce future trash:

• Do I actually need it? This right here may rule out most purchases.

• How long will it last? Buy products with a long-use life, made out of quality materials that will endure.

• Where does it go when I’m done with it? Look for products that can be kept in use elsewhere through donation or disposed of in a means other than the landfill. Here are some easy swaps that enable a non-landfill final destination: Choose bamboo toothbrushes over plastic; clothing made of natural fibers like cotton, wool, linen, silk, or hemp instead of synthetics; cotton dishcloths or a wooden brush instead of a plastic sponge.

2. Reduce packaging with a little advanced planning.

Packaging comprised over 25% of all trash generated in 2018. Reduce your packaging waste when you shop: 

• Bring your own bags and containers when you go shopping. 
• Buy from bulk bins, refill stations, and farmers markets. 
• Look for packaging that uses materials that can be recycled or composted. 

If you do need to buy a product in plastic, buy a larger bottle, rather than multiple small ones, to refill containers at home.  Large plastic bottles are more certain of successful recycling than small bottles. 

3. Fix items 

Pick up a few skills to repair items yourself, such as sewing, stain management, or minor mechanics. I love the step-by-step repair guides available on the iFixIt website, as well as community forums to discuss any fixing needs and other resources.

Look for a Fix-It Clinic, Repair Café, or community repair event in your area. The iFixIt website above also has a national directory of events.

Why it’s important to dispose of items properly

Disposing of items properly is an ever-growing priority. Here are some problems that arise when items are disposed of improperly: 

• Medicines – Improperly disposed of pharmaceuticals (this applies to human & animal pharmaceuticals) can enter the water supply either by being flushed down the toilet or drain into sewer systems or by entering landfills where rainwater then carries dissolved material into groundwater. Water purification systems are not designed to filter them out completely. Another hazard is that a child or animal could scavenge drugs out of the trash and consume them. 

• Batteries – While a battery may no longer be useful in its intended way, it still can contain a charge. If it contacts other metal in trash or is crushed in a garbage truck, it could start a fire. Also, many batteries contain material such as cobalt or lithium that can be recovered and reused, reducing the need for new mined material. They also may contain hazardous materials such as lead or cadmium, which can harm human health or the environment if released via landfill.  

• Plastic bags and films – When these are placed in home recycling bins, they can tangle up in the machinery at recycling facilities, requiring time and resources to rectify. Grocery stores often have plastic bag recycling bins at their doors, which can also accept any shrinkwrap plastic, plastic wrap, or other thin plastic films. 

What goes where in home disposal bins

Most of the United States offers two curbside collection bins: trash and recycling. You may possibly have a third for yard waste or green waste, especially if you live in California where it is mandated by law. Determining what goes in which bin is not always a simple matter, but let’s start with a high-level view of each of these three bins: 

Recycling – Items in this bin head to local recycling centers. Materials can be mixed up and should not be bagged. Check your local provider for what they are able to recycle. 

Organic waste/green waste – The contents of this bin go to a compost creation center to be turned into useful soil amendments. Depending on the intake of your local provider, your organic waste bin may accept only yard waste, or might possibly also accept food waste and food-soiled paper. 

Trash – It would be inaccurate to say that “everything else” gets thrown in the trash can, bound for landfills. You may not put household hazardous waste in the trash can, including batteries, electronics, fluorescent lightbulbs, paints, oils, and other compounds that could cause damage if they leach into the environment.

What to do with items instead of throwing them away

Better than placing an item in any trash, recycling, or green bins is keeping an item in use. This creates a circular economy, rather than a linear one. A linear economy follows a straight line from manufacturing to use to disposal. A circular economy is the higher goal, which focuses on keeping products in use as long as possible. An easy way to remember this is that in a circular economy, you keep items circulating. 

Donate items for continued use

Large donation centers like thrift stores and Salvation Army accept many items. Churches and other assistance centers may also accept donations. Your items might be even more certain of continued use at a strategic donation center. Consider these: 

• Humble Design takes furnishings and décor to assist families moving out of homelessness into housing.  
• Send usable appliances, furniture, and construction materials to a Habitat for Humanity ReStore.  
• Professional clothing can go to an employment assistance organization.  
• Animal shelters are always in need of old towels and sheets for animal bedding.  
• Craft and school supplies can go to a local school.  
• Some school districts or non-profits refurbish and then donate computers, printers, and other electronics. 
• Books can go to a Friends of the Library used bookstore or a school.  
• Hand down to friends with younger children any clothing, children’s books, toys, and gear that your kids have outgrown. 

Swap items

You may be tired of those clothes, books, accessories, craft supplies, albums, or games, but they will be a joy to someone else. Host a swap where everybody brings items in good shape, and you’ll have fun getting “new to you” items in return.

Sell items

Try making a little cash off your discards at a yard sale, online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and Poshmark, or a consignment store. 

Take back old clothing

Many companies offer take-back programs for old clothing, some even regardless of brand. These include North Face and Girlfriend Collective. Some even offer incentives for doing so, such as with Madewell, Patagonia, and Levi’s.

Repurpose

In my house, paper maps become wrapping paper, boots with holes become planters, gift bags and tissue paper are reused, and when it comes to glass jars, they become storage for food, craft, or office supplies; plant pots; or vases. Whatever your item on hand is, do an online search for “how can I repurpose _____” to get some great ideas.

Upcycle

Upcycling is a type of repurposing that transforms an item into something new and possibly more valuable. Examples of upcycling include making tote bags out of old jeans, turning an old ladder into a bookcase or plant stand, or building furniture out of an old wooden pallet.

Why recycling rules vary by city

Recycling rules differ from city to city, which can be frustrating if I tell you I can recycle something in my area, but you learn you can’t in yours. The reason is that recycling centers are private enterprises. Each has their own equipment, capabilities, and capacities. There are no national standards for recycling. Thus, it is difficult for me to share universal recycling guidelines. You will need to check with your local provider for their unique rules. 

Additionally, rules around plastic can vary widely. There are thousands of different polymers and blends and ways of putting them together which all fall into that one ominous word: plastic. Roughly, these polymers and blends fall into seven categories, usually indicated by a number inside a triangle of chasing arrows. These seven categories require different recycling capabilities, and some recycling providers may not be able to process all seven types.

How to find recycling rules in your city

• Visit the website of your local trash provider to see their recycling and trash guidelines. 

• Earth911 can help you find specialized disposal or recycling in your area from large items like mattresses and appliances to smaller items like batteries and fluorescent lightbulbs. 

What is wishcycling and why is it a problem?

Wishcycling is when you put something in the recycling that you wish/hope/pray is recyclable. But it might not be. Wishcycling is a problem because it gums up the system, requiring a person or machine to pull that item out if it doesn’t turn out to be recyclable. It might contaminate a whole stream of recycling and require diversion to a landfill. While you may feel guilty for putting something in the landfill-bound trash can, misplacing a non-recyclable in the recycling only postpones the inevitable and costs time and energy for others.

The biggest current problem with trash in America is human error. If materials were correctly sorted, our landfills would be less full and produce less methane, and our recycling efforts would be more effective.

Most common among wishcycled items are plastic bags (take them to a store instead), Styrofoam (most recyclers can’t process it, though there’s a difference between Styrofoam blocks used in large packaging and small Styrofoam such as peanuts or takeout containers), shredded paper (though some recyclers can take it), broken glass (too small for recycling apparatus and a danger to workers), mirrors (they’re not just glass), and gift tissue paper (its fibers are too short and weak to be recycled).

5 basic recycling rules

Despite what I just said about the lack of universal recycling guidelines, I am going to proffer a few rules that are generally true across recycling providers. These rules address the most common questions.

1. Scrape or rinse, don’t wash. Scraped empty is empty enough for recycling. You do not need to wash out peanut butter jars. If the contents are rinseable, then rinse them. Do not recycle full or partially full containers. Excessive residue contaminates the paper and cardboard around it. 
2. Items smaller than your fist will get filtered out of curbside recycling sorting. This means that most small items, regardless of material, will end up in the landfill if you put them in home recycling bins. Instead of wishcycling them, which dooms them to landfills, look for Pact Collective’s collection bins at certain cosmetic stores.
3. Keep it loose. Never bag recyclables unless your local recycling provider asks you to. 
4. Don’t crush cans. Crushed cans can confuse the sorting machines, causing them to mistakenly sort aluminum into paper or trash piles.
5. Look it up. Contaminating recycling streams with non-recyclables can cause great volumes of otherwise recyclable material to be redirected to landfills. Do a little research and find out for sure if something is recyclable.

How to dispose of common household items

Your best starting place for what’s available to you in your area is your local trash provider. Their website is likely a wealth of knowledge. Start by looking them up. If they don’t address your specific item, and it’s not on this chart, Earth911 is the single most comprehensive site I’ve found to answer your specific “what do I do with ____” question.

Additionally, I was delighted to find that Pact has created a recycling program for small items such as cosmetic containers that aren’t recyclable through curbside pickup. Check Pact’s site for bins near you, or for their mail back option. As of August 2026, Nordstrom & Nordstrom Rack, Ulta, and Sephora locations provide Pact bins. Stash small empties in a bag and the next time you head near one of these stores, take what you’ve collected with you.

Find your item below to learn how to dispose of, recycle, or reuse it

Every step towards less waste matters

I remember when I was in elementary school in the 1980s, we used to have recycling drives. These were fundraisers, where everyone would bring their stacks of old newspapers from home to school one morning and fill up a truck. I found them quite exciting social events. Those went by the wayside with curbside recycling, and now we can recycle so much more than newspapers. We also have so much more interconnectivity that allows us to share items we no longer want but have a lot of life left. We’ve made progress.

Getting rid of stuff properly can be a daunting task. Take one step at a time, learn the guidelines for your area, find the resources for various disposals, and be creative at keeping things in circulation. While the long-term goal is to dispose of less, it is a stepping stone to a better world to dispose of things properly. 

Further reading

• Everything You Buy Is Trash 
• Decluttering My House One Identity at a Time 
• Sensible & Sensational Repurposes for Dr. Bronner’s Packaging