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PHOENIX (Nov. 15, 2018) – Republic Services, an industry leader in U.S. recycling and non-hazardous solid waste disposal, is celebrating America Recycles Day by offering simple tips to help consumers be better recyclers.

“In an effort to do even more for the environment, some consumers may be throwing non-recyclables in the recycling container – this is often referred to as ‘aspirational recycling.’ This can lead to the contamination of other clean, recyclable items, which cannot be reused or repurposed by a buyer,” said Pete Keller, vice president of recycling and sustainability at Republic Services. “Responsible recycling habits focus on the quality – not quantity – of the material. The website RecyclingSimplified.com is a resource designed to help consumers recycle better and make a meaningful impact on our environment.”

As rates have climbed among American consumers, so has the rate of recycling contamination. On average, more than 30 percent of what consumers toss in their curbside recycling containers belongs in the garbage instead. The increased contamination in the recycling container is due to people throwing in items that aren’t recyclable to begin with, or recyclable materials that are contaminated by food or other residue.

Republic’s recycling education campaign, Recycling Simplified, offers simple tips to help consumers to become better recyclers for our Blue Planet^® and their local communities:

• Know What to Throw – Remember the three primary categories of recyclables: paper and cardboard, metal cans and plastic bottles and jugs. With bottles and jugs, remember to keep the caps on.
• Empty. Clean. Dry.^TM – Don’t allow more than one teaspoon of liquid to remain in a recyclable container. When recyclables are compressed in the truck, leftover food or liquid can ruin perfectly good recyclables.
• Keep It Loose – Never bag or bundle your recyclables. Items should be placed in the container individually.

Looking ahead to the upcoming holiday season, it’s even more important to improve our recycling habits. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, the average American household generates 25 percent more waste.

For other simple recycling tips during the holidays and throughout the year, visit recyclingsimplified.com.

About Republic Services

Republic Services, Inc. is an industry leader in U.S. recycling and non-hazardous solid waste disposal. Through its subsidiaries, Republic’s collection companies, recycling centers, transfer stations and landfills focus on providing effective solutions to make responsible waste disposal effortless for its 14 million customers. We’ll handle it from here.^®, the brand’s promise, lets customers know they can count on Republic to provide a superior experience while fostering a sustainable Blue Planet for future generations to enjoy a cleaner, safer and healthier world.

For more information, visit the Republic Services website at RepublicServices.com. “Like” Republic on Facebook at Facebook.com/RepublicServices and follow on Twitter @RepublicService and Instagram @republic_services.

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