We’ve all heard the tongue-in-cheek ‘there’s an app for that.’ Spend a few minutes online (better yet on your phone) and you’ll likely be convinced yourself if skeptical. Whether for connection, amusement, education, or any of the other reasons users ‘use’ apps, they empower us by putting information right at our fingertips. Now when it comes to recycling, recycling apps available today vary in features and usability but are only as good as their data. Lets take a look.
Recycling apps come of age
People have been recycling for decades, and will likely continue to do so (for obvious reasons which we cover daily here). Recycling works best when the end user knows how and where to take that material to ensure it gets to the recycling facility. Sometimes this means putting that material curbside. In other cases, it may involve finding a different path and outlet altogether (i.e. the non-traditional materials). And this, the information on how and where, is what sets certain recycling apps apart.
Of the recycling apps available on the market today, some are more narrow in scope than others. For example, several cities and municipalities (each with their own rules) have recently rolled out their own location-specific recycling apps with information about basic recycling in that area, pickup schedules, etc. Those are of course very helpful if you happen to live in or around those specific locales. But what if you don’t? Or, what if you are looking to recycle something that is not accepted through your municipality? Worse yet, what if your municipality doesn’t offer recycling pick up? Well, it just so turns out ‘there’s an app for that’ too.
iRecycle
Earth911’s iRecycle® mobile recycling app provides users with information about how to best dispose of products, directing them to the nearest recycling facilities. iRecycle is free and available for Android and iOS. In addition to being recently featured by Waste360 as one of several premier recycling apps, the recycling app has been previously covered in prominent media outlets such as TreeHugger, Triple Pundit, Huffington Post, Mother Nature Network and USA Today.
Behind iRecycle is a nationwide database of more than 122,000 recycling locations accepting (collectively) more then 360 different materials across the United States. Its a database that has been carefully curated and updated over the years.
We’ve recycled iRecycle
iRecycle was completely redesigned this year giving users a more robust user experience along with more information on all things recycling. App users have this to say about the iRecycle recycling app;
“LOVE this app especially during spring cleaning. I like to be able to search for the item instead of choosing the category.”
“In less than 10 seconds it told me where I can recycle my old computer monitor. I spent hours online and found no help at all. Get this app!”
“Useful info in one place. Nice especially in a new city with a hard to navigate webpage. Nice!”
“This is one of the best recycling apps I’ve every seen I’ve been looking for a place to recycle paper for years and I found a place to recycle it with this app.”
“Great way to recycle just about anything. I had no idea the kinds of things that could actually be recycled!”
“Within 2 minutes of downloading this app I found a place to recycle an old gas grill that stopped working a year ago, which has been sitting there taking up space in my garage. Also found a place to recycle various type of light bulbs and batteries!”
Whether you’re looking for a quick place to properly recycle those old paper files or a place who’ll properly recycle that not-at-all-common material, iRecycle gives users the best of both worlds right at their fingertips – Earth911 Media and the Earth911 Recycle Search. iRecycle is the premiere application for finding local (U.S. only), convenient recycling opportunities when you are on the go or at home.
Download the Earth911 iRecycle mobile app today by clicking here!
Feature image credit: LDprod / Shutterstock