Why wish-cycling does more harm than good

In an era of increased environmental awareness, the concept of wish-cycling has gained prominence. Wish-cycling is the practice of putting non-recyclable items in the recycling cart in hopes that they can be recycled. When non-recyclable materials find their way to local recycling processing facilities, they disrupt machinery operations, pose harm to recycling workers and ultimately end up contributing to the residual waste that cannot be recycled. These are some commonly wish-cycled items:

• Plastic bags
• Scrap metal
• Bulky plastic items like laundry bins, plastic hangers and toys
• Pump dispenser tops
• Paper coffee cups

To avoid this problem, follow City recycling guidelines and properly sort materials. Find a detailed recycling acceptability list at blm.mn/recycling.