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QUIZ: Are you really putting the right things in your recycle bin?
From pizza boxes to perfume bottles, which should go in the green bin?
IN 1997, Ireland’s environmental efforts made for a very different landscape. There were 154 landfills across the country and recycling was not anything as simple as just placing your leftover packaging in your recycling bin.
Since then, we’ve reduced that figure to four landfills, diverted 10 million tonnes of waste from landfills, provided a recycling bin outside almost every house in Ireland and have reached 97% recovery of all waste packaging.
In fact, in two decades we’ve become the sixth leading country for recycling in the European Union, behind Sweden, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway and the UK.
However, while we manage to recycle 36% of all of our waste, we’re still a little behind the EU average of 39%.
So, are you armed with the right facts to raise that figure, and show up those high-achieving Scandinavians?
1. You have a pile of official letters and bills that you want to get rid of. Can you put them in the recycling?
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No, they need to go in the general waste bin.
Yes but it's recommended that you should rip them up first.
Only if it doesn't contain financial information.
Only if it doesn't contain your name or address.
2. Which parts of this lovely dry and clean jam jar are recyclable?
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Just the jar.
Just the lid.
Both the jar and the lid.
Neither are.
3. You have a few cans left from a party. Where should they go?
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Just stick them straight in the general bin.
Make sure they're empty and put them in the recycling bin.
You need to take them to your local recycling centre.
Bring them to the bottle bank.
4. You've just bought a new appliance. What the hell do you do now with all the polystyrene?
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It's recyclable - but I'll need to bring it to my local recycling centre.
It's not recyclable - I'll throw it in the general bin.
It should go in your general bin in whole pieces.
You need to break it up into small pieces before it can go in the general bin.
5. Damn, you've run out of perfume/cologne. What are you going to do with the bottle (if it's not red or pink)?
It will have to go in the general bin because of the chemicals.
It needs to go in a special bottle bank.
It can go into the bottle bank and you can leave the lid and the spray pump on it.
It can go in the bottle bank but you'll need to remove the lid and the spray pump.
6. Which of the following types of bottles are not recyclable and should go in the general bin?
Frosted glass.
Blue glass.
Green glass.
Red and pink glass.
7. Is blue glass really recyclable?
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Yes, it just needs to go in the green bottle bank.
Yes, it can go in any bottle bank.
No, it needs to go in the general bin.
Yes but it can only go in the clear bottle bank.
8. Can pizza boxes be recycled?
Only if they have the recycling mark on them.
Yes but they need to be brought to the recycling centre.
Yes, as long as you make sure there is no pizza, crust or grease left in the box.
No.
9. You just picked up something with this symbol on it. Does this mean it can go in the recycling bin?
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It definitely can.
It definitely can't.
This means that producers of packaging have contributed financially to the recycling of the products they place on the island of Ireland and are members of Repak. It does not mean the packaging is recyclable.
Yes - providing it is clean and dry.
10. Which of the following should you not place in your recycling bin?
Phone books.
Sugar bags.
Salad dressing bottles.
The netting from fruit and vegetable packaging.
You scored out of !
Bro, do you even recycle?
We've caught you sneaking in non-recyclables into the office recycling bins. Get your act together and start filling that recycling bin with the right kind of packaging! You can find out more at www.repak.ie.
You scored out of !
You could definitely up your recycling game.
As much as you're keen to chuck everything recyclable in the recycling bin, make sure it is dry, clean and definitely recyclable first. Our wildlife would thank you (if they knew how to speak). Find out more at www.repak.ie.
You scored out of !
You're recycling royalty.
You'd rather keep a piece of paper in your bag than not throw it into a recycle bin. Your hard work is the exact thing that will increase our recycling percentage - well done. Find out more at www.repak.ie.
Celebrate twenty years of Repak by learning exactly what should or shouldn’t be recycled. Visit repak.ie to find out exactly what you can put into your recycling bin. Change for the better and recycle – just make sure you’re doing it right.
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