What happens when you accidentally put something in the recycling that isn’t meant to be recycled? Does it contaminate the entire batch? (side note: same question for Composting)

Question

I know that composting and recycling are fundamentally and scientifically different but my curiosity is the same.

In: Other

Answer 1

It depends on what it is that was put into the recycling. It’s possible that it can contaminate other recyclables but it’s not necessarily the case.

For example, if you put a piece of styrofoam into the recycling it’ll just get sorted out at the recycling plant and thrown away. If you throw a can of paint into the recycling and it leaks, it may cause the effected items to no longer be any good.

The same is essentially true of compost. It really depends on what it is you throw in there. If it’s something toxic that can’t be removed, then it’ll contaminate your compost. If it’s just a piece of solid waste like a tin can, you can just pick it out.