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Recycling: Turn Compost Waste Into Resources

Trash Pickup Service - LePage & Sons - Reuse Waste

As the population of the earth and our consumption of resources grows, the importance of the three R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) has become increasingly more important. You can drastically reduce your carbon footprint and lessen your impact on the environment from the waste your family produces by simply paying attention to what you can and can’t recycle, what you can reuse and what you can compost.

Trash Pickup Service - LePage & Sons - Types of Waste

Ways to Reuse Waste

By reducing the number of certain types of products you buy and purchasing things you can reuse instead, you can have a huge impact with very little effort and just some planning. For example, by simply replacing a few small items in your household, you can reuse a variety of daily items, rather than trying to recycle them or just throwing them in the garbage. Here are some easy examples:

  • Purchase reusable/washable coffee pods or filters: Reduce waste of tossing one-time-use pods and filters.
  • Avoid disposable razors: Get a reusable one that has a replaceable/ recyclable razor head.
  • Get a toothbrush with a removable head: Reduce the amount of place by disposing of the brush head rather than the entire handle.
  • Stop using plastic wrap, baggies, and aluminum foil: Opt for reusable containers and pouches.
  • Buy in bulk: Do this for health and beauty products as well as food items.
  • Use dishcloths, washcloths, and cloth napkins: Throwing away paper towels, plates, and napkins can quickly pile up.
  • Use reusable shopping bags whenever possible: Not just to shop with again, but to line trash cans at home, empty the cat litter, etc.
  • Avoid disposable water bottles, soda cans, and coffee cups: The options are endless when it comes to finding economic drinkware.
  • Similar to avoiding paper plates for meals, don’t use plastic silverware.

What is composting and how do people do it?

Composting is a natural process where organic matter is recycled back into the earth as a fertilizer for the soil. Composting is a great alternative to having to buy fertilizer and is a better way of disposing of items that would otherwise be sent to a landfill.

An example of some items that you can compost are:

  • Small, uncoated pieces of cardboard
  • Coffee grounds
  • Eggshells
  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Grass clippings
  • Hair and pet fur
  • Houseplants
  • Leaves
  • Shredded newspaper
  • Nutshells
  • Tea bags
  • Yard trimmings

There are several different ways to compost at home, including simply making a composting pile in your yard or by using bins that can either be open or enclosed. During composting, the materials in your piles or bin will need to be turned periodically in order to aerate and help them along in the decomposition process.

When composting, it’s important to keep in mind that not everything can be composted. Items such as meat and bones, dairy products, pet waste, and large items can’t be composted. You also cannot compost anything that has been treated or coated.  Additionally, you’ll want to be careful not to keep food waste at the top of the pile where it might attract rodents. Once your compost has broken down and the decomposition process is complete, it will leave behind rich soil that you can use in your yard and garden.

As you can see, by simply making a few small changes to your routine, you can have a huge impact on the amount of material that is being collected for residential recycling pickup or trash pickup service. You can also have a huge impact on your wallet since you won’t need to buy as many disposable products!

Obviously, no matter how much we reuse items and compost we are always going to have some waste left over. The best service to choose is LePage & Sons, who you can trust to do it the right way and help you as much as possible with any bulk items as well. We offer the residential trash pickup, storage container rentals, roll-offs, and more to Cambridge, Isanti, St. Francis, Ramsey, and Andover.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions, or if you’re interested in local waste or recycling services. Contact us at: (763) 757-7100.