How do you recycle and why is it important?

What is waste sorting and why do you need to do it? For many people, recycling is just a natural part of everyday life, something you do just because you have to. But there are of course very good reasons why we recycle and here you can read about how you can contribute to a better world by recycling. If you find sorting at source complicated, we've also tried to put together an easy-to-read guide that will hopefully make it easier for you to sort your waste properly.

First of all, how do you recycle?

Sorting at source means separating different types of waste so that they can be recycled or scrapped in the best possible way. To make things easier, here you can see the different categories of waste that you need to sort and where to take them:

• Paper packaging: Milk cartons, corrugated cardboard boxes and paper bags are examples of paper packaging to be sorted. You hand these in at an authorized collection point. Many residential areas have recycling points where you can drop off paper packaging.
• Plastic packaging: Inner bags in corn flakes packaging, chip bags and all packaging made of plastic are sorted as plastic packaging. Take these to the nearest collection point or recycling center.
• Metal packaging: In addition to soft drinks cans, tins and paint cans, caps and metal lids for glass jars are also considered metal packaging. They are collected at the same place as plastic and paper packaging.
• Glass packaging: Glass is sorted as colored and uncolored glass is deposited in separate containers that you will find in your environmental cabin.
• Newspapers: In addition to actual newspapers, flyers, paperbacks and catalogs are also considered newspapers. These should also be handed in at your nearest recycling center, for example.
• E-waste: E-waste includes anything with a cord or battery. Smaller electrical waste can be handed in at the recycling center, while larger products such as refrigerators and stoves can be collected by the municipality for a fee if you cannot transport the waste to an approved collection point.
• Pharmaceuticals: Leftover medicines can be returned to your nearest pharmacy.
• Hazardous waste: Chemicals that can be corrosive or bad for the environment are sorted as hazardous waste and you can hand them in at municipal recycling centers or at many petrol stations.
• Food waste: Food waste is food, vegetables and other edible items. What needs to be sorted as food waste varies from municipality to municipality. You can find more information on your municipality's website. Many municipalities use special plastic bags for food waste to make recycling easier and more environmentally friendly.

If you want to know more about how to recycle where you live, the best source of information is your local authority's website. The list above is a general guide that is easy to follow, but always check with your municipality to see if specific rules apply where you live. You can read common questions and answers here for rental properties.

One question many people ask is whether they need to clean packaging before recycling. The short answer is no, you only need to make sure that the packaging is free of food residues. If you rinse out cans and cartons, this is obviously a good thing, but there is no law that requires you to clean packaging that is being recycled. If you buy a condominium at Slättö you can also create your own smart waste sorting solutions.

Why recycle?

It is important to separate your waste at source. There are many reasons why people recycle and, depending on the type of waste we are talking about, there are several reasons (and even laws) why recycling is important. Many types of waste contain substances that can be recycled and reused. By reusing substances, we both save resources from nature and spend less energy extracting new materials from the earth. This, in turn, leads to less emissions from factories and mines where these substances are extracted.

E-waste is important to recycle because almost everything that is powered by electricity contains valuable substances that are in short supply in the world. If these substances run out, we will not be able to extract more as the earth has a limited amount of all the substances we use in our electronic products.

Hazardous waste, such as chemicals you use when cleaning your home, can be harmful to the environment. If these substances end up in local streams or lakes, both animals and plants in the area can be negatively affected by these substances, which can lead to an unbalanced ecosystem.

What does the law say?

Swedish law imposes requirements on businesses, both those that manufacture products and those that import goods. If you import or manufacture newspapers, packaging, medicines and other products that need to be sorted at source, you must also ensure that there are special places where you can hand in waste from these products. The law also requires you, as a private individual, to sort your waste and make sure it goes to the right collection point. Breaking these laws can lead to heavy fines, but also to a negative impact on the community in your neighborhood.

The Swedish Parliament aims to ensure that future generations do not have to suffer from our environmental problems and has therefore ensured that we have laws that require individuals to sort their waste and laws that restrict companies from importing or manufacturing products that cannot be recycled.