Tossing something into the recycling bin feels good. It’s a small act of responsibility—an easy way to feel like you’re helping the planet. But what if that effort is doing more harm than good?
Recycling only works when done correctly. Unfortunately, millions of well-intentioned people are “wish-cycling”—putting items into the bin they hope are recyclable, even if they aren’t. The problem? These materials can contaminate entire loads of recyclables, forcing facilities to trash the entire batch. That means more waste, higher processing costs, and a recycling system strained to the breaking point.
