Wishcycling and the Mess it Actually Creates

What the heck is wishcycling and why is it creating a mess? Wishcycling is when we place non-recyclable items in the recycling and hope that they will be recycled. Recycling as a whole is already a mess and every bit of contamination makes it worse.

Well, here is the thing, recycling makes us feel good. We feel good that we’re keeping stuff out of the landfill. We feel good that our waste will be turned into something new and be given another life. But here in lies the problem, you want to do the right thing, for years you have been programmed that it is the right thing and this is why we end up wishcycling.

We have all been there, standing in front of the bins with an item we were uncertain if it was recyclable and with good intentions we toss it in the recycling, “maybe it will get another life, I’ll put it in just in case”.

You know what they say about good intentions… and that is the problem with wishcyling. The unfortunate reality is that most of the products and packaging that end up in our houses can’t or won’t get a second life and wishcyling them, only lead to less being recycled.

Why is wishcycling a problem

Contamination is a huge issue. It can be from trash finding its way into recycling, it can be from improperly cleaned recyclables, it can be from wishcycling and the list goes on… The end result is, that if contamination levels are too high, it often all ends up in the landfill.

I won’t bore you with statistics but ultimately very little of what goes in to recycling bins actually gets recycled.

Let’s face it, waste and recyling is a huge industry that faces the same realities as other businesses, it needs to make economic sense for it to happen. It’s a known fact that the margins in recycling are very thin. Every bit of contamination in the recycling stream wastes time, energy, resources and money. This all adds up to a system that is barely hanging on. 

The truth of the matter is that we don’t currently have a magical system. Most things can’t be turned into something new, no matter what symbol on it is.

This doesn’t mean that we should give up, we should just re-prioritize. Somehow reduce and reuse haven’t been as front of mind as recycling. And if we are recycling, we need to do a better job of it.

How we can help

First off, drop the guilt, we have all done it! Now that we know about wishcycling, all we can do is try to be better. 

Before we get into better recycling, let’s look at what we can prioritize.

• Redesign: At least 80% of a products impact is determined in the design phase.
• Rethink: what you buy and what you throw away.
• Refuse: the unnecessary or poorly designed. It’s free to say no.
• Reduce: question what you bring in to your life, needs vs wants, what is meaningful.
• Reuse: Choose items that can be reused again and again. Avoid disposables.
• Repair: Do your best to prolong the lifespan of goods.
• Rot: Compost everything you can, this is true recycling.
• Recycle: last on the list but often top of mind in the mainstream. Do the best you can with what is available locally. It’s not your fault that the system is a mess.

Better Recycling

• Care: A little bit of care goes a long way. If you’re reading this, you likely care.  Recycling needs to be clean and dry. Remember fellow humans are often sorting this stuff out.
• Be Aware: A couple things here, first, now that you are aware of wishcycling, avoid it. The second, it has been shown that we use more resources when we think they are recyclable. Know that people have taken advantage of this to sell us more and more. So much of it actually goes unrecycled.
• Get educated: Find out all your local recycling do’s and don’ts, every jurisdiction is different. Your local municipality should have clear guidelines. The fact that every jurisdiction is different is part of the bigger problem. Get to know the recycling symbols and know that even if there is a symbol, it might not be truly recyclable in this day and age.
• Do a quick search: Not sure what bin it goes in, do a quick search or ask someone who knows.
• Find a better solution: Can it be recycled elsewhere? Terracyle? Or even better, can someone else reuse it or can it be fixed?
• Get involved: Many of the recycling problems are bigger picture problems. Help by educating others, join local coalitions, make your voice heard with Government and Companies. Every vote and voice counts

Wishcycling and the Mess it creates, let’s Wrap it Up

Recycling is a highly variable and complex issue, understanding your local rules and un-learning your bad habits can go a long way.

Simply knowing what is trash or what is recyclable and keeping recyclables clean can help change the tides of a system in distress.

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Thanks for reading,

Pat

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