♻️ Can You Really Recycle That? 5 Kitchen Items You’re Probably Getting Wrong

It’s Cyber Monday, a day known for big deals, fast shipping, and… a whole lot of packaging waste.

While we’re all about treating ourselves and others to something useful (hello, sustainable swaps 👋), today’s also a chance to think beyond the checkout page. With Recycling Month underway, there’s no better time to clean up our recycling habits, starting in the heart of the home: the kitchen.

Let’s put your recycling knowledge to the test. These five items show up in most households, but are you sorting them right?

🧠 The Kitchen Recycling Quiz

1️⃣ Greasy pizza boxes
2️⃣ Glass jars with labels still on
3️⃣ Used paper towels
4️⃣ Plastic film and grocery bags
5️⃣ Metal lids and aluminum cans

True or False? Can you recycle these?
Take a guess — then scroll for the answers!

✅ The Answers, Explained

1️⃣ Greasy pizza boxes → ❌ False
Only clean cardboard can be recycled. The oil from your pizza seeps into the fibers and contaminates the batch. If the top half is clean, tear it off and recycle just that part!

2️⃣ Glass jars with labels → ✅ True
Give them a quick rinse to remove food residue. Labels are usually removed during the recycling process. Glass is endlessly recyclable!

3️⃣ Used paper towels → ❌ False
They’re typically contaminated with food or moisture and made of short fibers — making them non-recyclable. Compost them if possible.

4️⃣ Plastic film and grocery bags → ❌ False
These often clog sorting machines and aren't accepted in curbside recycling. Instead, return them to designated store drop-off points.

5️⃣ Metal lids and aluminum cans → ✅ True
Rinse them clean and toss them in. Metals like aluminum can be recycled forever without losing quality.

💡 Why This Matters More Than Ever

Recycling feels simple, but contamination is one of the top reasons entire bins get sent to landfill. Small errors, like tossing in greasy cardboard or plastic film, can undo all your good intentions.

But the solution isn’t more guesswork. It’s smarter habits, and smarter products.

🌱 AIRNEX: Designed for the Circular Life

While proper recycling keeps materials out of landfills, our goal at AIRNEX is to reduce the need for recycling altogether. That’s why we design everyday essentials with compostable materials, low-waste packaging, and plastic-free swaps that help you live lighter, especially during the holiday rush.

Best-Sellers & Must-Haves This Season:

• 🥕 Vegetable-Shaped Cellulose Sponges – Make clean-up fun and get kids involved in eco habits early

• 🧽 S-Shaped Scrub Sponge – Our best-selling shape, ideal for tackling everyday mess

• ♻️ Compost Bin – A holiday kitchen essential to turn food scraps into future soil

🎁 This Cyber Monday, Make an Impact That Lasts

As orders roll in and holiday prep kicks into high gear, remember: it’s not just what you buy, it’s what you do with it that counts.

So rinse, sort, and compost what you can. Then, make swaps that lighten your footprint year-round.