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The more difficult or expensive a material is to recycle, the harder it will be to find a recycling center willing to accept it. Even those that do may still put these materials in landfills or incinerate them.

First, reduce and reuse. Then, use this list to help you choose which product to buy based on how easy it will be to recycle.

Easily recyclable:

•  Aluminum cans
•  Cardboard
•  Office paper
•  Newspaper
•  Steel cans
•  Tin cans (These are actually steel cans with a thin tin coating.)
•  Clear and brown glass

Recyclable with slightly more effort:

•  Green glass
•  Magazines
•  Paper bags
•  Number 1 plastic (PET or PETE)
•  Number 2 plastic (HDPE): milk jugs, detergent bottles

Less practical to recycle, but still doable:

•  All other glass colors
•  Aluminum foil
•  Pie pans
•  Telephone books & similar books
•  Number 2 plastic (HDPE): butter tubs, yogurt cups

Technically recyclable, but not practical and/or eco-friendly:

•  Styrofoam
•  Plastic bags
•  Number 3-7 plastics

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