Earth Day is celebrated each year on April 22nd. It’s a great reason to step back and look at the ways we can help support and improve the environment. One way we can all contribute is by recycling. Many of us already do, setting aside our plastic, glass, paper, and cardboard. Did you know there are other things around your home that can be recycled? In honor of Earth Day, we’re taking a look at the surprising things you can recycle.

Surprising Things You Can Recycle

Mattresses: 90% of the average mattress is made up of recyclable parts. The foam, cotton, and felt used in mattress padding is turned into carpet padding. Steel from metal springs and frames is melted and used as scrap metal. Wood is sent to a chipper to be turned into landscaping mulch.

Electronics: Electronic products like TVs contain chemicals. So, when simply dumped into a landfill, these chemicals are leaked out, polluting the water supply and air quality. Televisions contain a number of valuable recyclable materials. Some of these include copper, glass, and plastic.

Scrap metal: Some of the most commonly recycled metals include steel, copper, iron, lead, tin, aluminum, silver, and brass. It takes decades to decompose in a landfill. Recycling metal reduces the need for mining. Reusing recycled metals takes less energy than mining for the virgin ores needed to create new metal.

Appliances: If you can’t sell or donate your old appliance, recycling is the best alternative to tossing an old model into a landfill. Not only does it contain reusable metal, plastic, and glass, but it prevents the harmful chemicals appliances contain from leaching into the soil, atmosphere, and groundwater.

Couches: When you throw away a coach, it ends up in a landfill, adding to waste and leaching toxic substances. Your better option is to take it to a recycling facility where it can be taken apart and used for other products.

JDog Junk Removal & Hauling Is Committed to Taking Care of the Environment

When you call the Veterans at JDog, you can feel good knowing we donate and recycle 60% to 80% of the items we haul, so your unwanted items will be disposed of properly. Call us today at 844-GET-JDOG to schedule your haul.