Top 20+ things you may be recycling by mistake, and why you shouldn't be
3. Chip bags and other snack wrappers
Chip bags, granola bar wrappers, and other snack packages are often multi-layered materials, Buch said.
"You've got foil on the outside," he said. "You've got a plastic coating on the inside, and that's not recyclable."
The machines aren't able to separate the layers, he said.
Some brands' packaging is recyclable through How2Recycle, though you'll have to drop it off at a participating grocery store or retailer.
13. Prescription pill bottles
As with coffee pods, some prescription pill bottles and their lids are small enough to fall through sorting machines and won't be recycled.
"There might be some communities where they don't take the pill bottle and other communities where they do," Buch said.
18. Styrofoam
Many cities and states have banned Styrofoam food containers, but the substance still arrives in a lot of products and shipping packaging.
Styrofoam, also known as polystyrene, isn't recyclable in most curbside bins. Many cities have drop-off sites, though they may only take certain types, like Styrofoam blocks.
