Common mistakes in waste recycling

Recycling correctly is essential to ensure that waste can be managed properly and help the environment. At Reciclajes y Metales Pérez, we want to help you avoid some of the most common mistakes when separating waste. Based on the guidelines from EMAYA, here we explain what you shouldn’t put in each bin:

1. Yellow bin (light packaging)

  • Do not throw: Cassette tapes, VHS, CDs, DVDs, toys, textiles, containers with toxic or full products.
  • Common mistake: Many people think all plastics can go in this bin, but only packaging is accepted.

2. Green bin (glass)

  • Do not throw: Light bulbs, mirrors, ceramics, porcelain, plates, glasses, cups.
  • Common mistake: Window or mirror glass should not be placed here, as they are treated differently.

3. Blue bin (paper and cardboard)

  • Do not throw: Tetra packs, aluminium or laminated paper, food-soiled paper, tissues, wet wipes.
  • Common mistake: Sometimes tetra packs are deposited here, but they belong in the yellow bin as they contain plastic.

4. Brown bin (organic)

  • Do not throw: Nappies, sanitary pads, oils, ashes, gardening waste treated with pesticides.
  • Common mistake: Many people believe that all kitchen waste and paper can go in the brown bin, but only organic matter and clean kitchen paper are accepted.

5. Grey bin (non-recyclable waste)

  • Do not throw: Glass, paper and cardboard, light packaging.
  • Common mistake: Sometimes the grey bin is used for everything we don’t know how to classify, but many of those items could be recycled in other bins.
Avoiding these common mistakes is key to ensuring effective recycling. Remember that each bin has a specific purpose!

Why is it important to recycle correctly?

Recycling correctly not only helps conserve natural resources but also reduces the amount of energy needed to produce new materials. For example, recycling steel can save up to 80% of production costs compared to manufacturing from raw materials. This effort not only has a positive economic impact but also contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions. If you want to learn more about how to recycle correctly, visit our blog The colours of recycling: a guide for efficient recycling in Mallorca.