ByEarth911

Apr 6, 2023
person holding trash picked up on beach

Across the U.S., one of the biggest influences on recycling success is your decision about what to toss in the blue bin. Recycling “contamination” occurs when any unaccepted material gets mixed in with your recyclable items. Anything from food waste to the wrong kind of glass or plastic items can contaminate a load of recyclable materials.

In this Earth911 Quiz, you’ll get five Yes, No, or Maybe questions about items you might put in the blue recycling bin. We include “Maybe” because different municipalities and recyclers may not accept some materials while others will.


Making smart sustainable choices requires practice. Earth911’s weekly sustainability quiz helps you hone your ability to recognize earth-friendly products and services. Through your daily choices — from transportation mode to purchases to waste disposal — you can make a positive difference.

Feature image by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels

By Earth911

We’re serious about helping our readers, consumers and businesses alike, reduce their waste footprint every day, providing quality information and discovering new ways of being even more sustainable.