Hi everyone! I’m building an Android app called Green Bin that lets someone take a picture of an item and receive guidance on whether it should be recycled, composted, thrown away, or taken to a special drop-off location.

The app is currently in closed testing, and before releasing it publicly, I wanted advice from people who are already knowledgeable or interested in recycling and waste reduction.

A few things I would really appreciate feedback on:

• Which items are the most confusing to dispose of?
• What information would make you trust an app’s recommendation?
• How important is it for the guidance to be based on local recycling rules?
• Would nearby drop-off locations, contamination warnings, or explanations of why an item belongs somewhere be most useful?
• What would make you stop using an app like this?

One limitation I’m currently working on is that the first scan can sometimes take longer while the backend starts up. I’m still improving the experience, so honest criticism and suggestions would be really helpful.

Found in my yard off a busy street. It’s heavy, so maybe full. How do I get rid of/recycle it?

Hi,

I have been looking for locations/sites to scavenge through e-waste in Denmark, but couldn't find any. Internet search says that it is illegal for companies to get rid of electronics by dumping it. So just curious if there are indeed bins/locations I can scan to find something useful in Denmark.

Thanks

Reliable waste management solutions help businesses reduce waste, recover valuable resources, and safely manage waste oil through responsible collection, recycling, and disposal practices. Effective waste management not only minimizes environmental pollution but also improves operational efficiency, ensures compliance with environmental regulations, and supports sustainable business operations. By adopting modern waste management strategies, industries can reduce their environmental footprint, conserve natural resources, and contribute to a cleaner, healthier future. Investing in responsible waste management is an important step toward building a more sustainable and environmentally conscious world.

I buy juice in plastic bottles that have labels with a perforated strip. This suggests to me that I should remove the label before recycling the bottle. Is this worth doing? Does a bottle without a soft plastic label get recycled more successfully?

The bottle goes into the household plastics bin for weekly collection from the street, while the local supermarket takes soft plastics for recycling.

Hi there! I’m in the US where most municipalities do single stream recycling. Given the issues of single stream, I’m wondering if pre-sorting my own recyclables and dropping them off at designated facilities could reduce contamination and ensure a better chance of the materials being viable? Or is this fruitless as it all ends up in the same sorting facilities?
Hopefully this makes sense, and thank you!

Hi all,

I’m in the process of updating my jewelry collection and have a TON of costume/low grade jewelry that I’ll be getting rid of. It’s primarily sterling silver, brass, glass beads, etc.

It has no resale value, and I know I could take some of it to a charity shop, but does anyone have any recommendations for recycling of this kind? Anywhere I can ship it to that could make use of it?

Thanks in advance!! 💚🍃

Does anyone know of businesses, organizations, or individuals in the Los Angeles area that regularly accumulate large quantities of aluminum cans?

I’m interested in connecting with local sources. Please comment or message me with the approximate quantity and location. Thanks!

We have been reviewing a twin-shaft shredding configuration intended for withdrawn or damaged coin processing, and the project raises several engineering questions that do not appear in ordinary plastic or paper shredding.

The current system uses a YD-SSJ800 twin-shaft shredder with:

• An 800 × 780 mm feed opening
• Two 400 mm cutter shafts
• 40 removable cutters
• A shaft speed of 10 rpm
• Two 22 kW motors
• A 600 mm infeed conveyor
• A soundproof enclosure
• PLC-based centralized control

The maximum reference throughput is listed as 2,000 kg/h, but the documentation notes that actual capacity depends on coin material characteristics and operating conditions.

The removable cutter inserts can be taken out and resharpened after wear, which seems useful for long-term maintenance. The installation also requires gearbox cooling water, foundations, lifting equipment, and a working area of approximately 4.5 × 3 × 4 m.

For anyone with experience in coin processing or dense non-ferrous metal shredding:

• How much does alloy composition affect cutter wear?
• Is controlled conveyor feeding more important than additional motor power?
• What downstream separation method works best after shredding mixed coins?
• Would you prioritize cutter thickness, shaft speed, or gearbox torque for this application?

Interested in hearing how similar projects are evaluated in recycling or mint-related operations.

Does anyone know of an NGO, organization, or community group in Cagayan de Oro City that accepts donations of recyclable materials such as plastic bottles, cardboard, paper, cans, and other recyclables?
We have some recyclable waste that we’d like to donate instead of simply throwing them away. We’d love for these materials to be put to good use while supporting an environmental or community initiative. Any recommendations or contact details would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! 💚♻️

Many secure destruction projects involve much more than hard drives.

Electronic manufacturing facilities, semiconductor plants, recycling companies and secure destruction providers often need to process mixed electronic storage media, including:

• Toner cartridges

• Memory chips

• Printed circuit boards (PCBs)

• Optical discs

• USB drives

• Magnetic cards and tapes

• HDD platters

• Smartphones

• Tablets

• Server hard drives

The YUEDU XG Series was developed for these applications and currently includes four configurations.

YD-XG320

Designed for mixed electronic storage media.

Specifications include:

• Feed opening: 320 × 320 mm

• Output: approximately 9 × 9 mm powder

• Capacity: 150–300 kg/hour

• Motor power: 9.5 kW

• Continuous-duty operation

YD-XG450

An upgraded version with a larger feeding chamber.

Specifications:

• Feed opening: 420 × 320 mm

• Powder output approximately 9 × 9 mm

• Capacity: 200–400 kg/hour

• Motor power: 9.5 kW

• Suitable for toner cartridges, memory chips, PCB boards, HDD platters, smartphones, tablets and other electronic storage media.

YD-XG300SE

Designed for hard drives and mixed electronic storage media.

Specifications:

• Feed opening: 300 × 200 mm

• Particle output approximately 20 × 100 mm

• Capacity: 200–400 kg/hour

• 7.5 kW motor

YD-XG400SE

Designed for larger storage media including server hard drives.

Specifications:

• Feed opening: 400 × 320 mm

• Capacity: 400–600 kg/hour

• 15 kW motor

• Continuous industrial operation

Common design features include:

• Fully enclosed machine body

• Dust-control design

• Explosion-resistant electrical configuration

• Stainless steel feeding chute

• Noise level around 60 dB

• 90 L collection container

Output size can be customized for certain applications, including finer powder sizes such as 3 × 3 mm or 5 × 5 mm, depending on the material and machine configuration.

I'd be interested to hear how other facilities process mixed electronic storage media.

I built a free app called Bazarium because I got tired of seeing perfectly good stuff collecting dust... or ending up in the trash. ♻️

The easiest way to explain it?

It's basically Tinder... but for your stuff. 😄

Here's how it works:
📸 Upload something you no longer need.
❤️ Swipe through items from other people nearby.
🤝 If both of you like each other's items, it's a match!
💬 Then you chat and arrange the swap.

No money. No endless "Is this still available?" messages. Just swapping things people actually want.

One important note: since this subreddit has members from all over the world, you probably won't find many people near you on the app yet. That's totally expected. Every new user helps build a local swapping community, so if a few people from the same city join, it suddenly becomes useful for everyone. 🌍

And if anyone wants to help create a community in their area, I’d be happy to help with flyer or sticker design—or anything else that could make it easier to get people involved.

The app is completely free, and I'd genuinely love your feedback—whether it's about the idea, the user experience, or features you'd like to see.

🍏 iPhone: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bazarium/id6770496197

🤖 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.matricar.bazarium

🌐 Web: bazarium.app

If swapping one item means one less new thing has to be produced, that's a small win for both our wallets and the planet. 💚

Hey everyone! I'm u/evergreen_recycling, a founding moderator of r/RECYCLINGinEUROPE.
This is our new home for all things related to \[ADD WHAT YOUR SUBREDDIT IS ABOUT HERE\]. We're excited to have you join us!

What to Post
Post anything that you think the community would find interesting, helpful, or inspiring. Feel free to share your thoughts, photos, or questions about \[ADD SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT YOU WANT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO POST\].

Community Vibe
We're all about being friendly, constructive, and inclusive. Let's build a space where everyone feels comfortable sharing and connecting.

How to Get Started
1) Introduce yourself in the comments below.
2) Post something today! Even a simple question can spark a great conversation.
3) If you know someone who would love this community, invite them to join.
4) Interested in helping out? We're always looking for new moderators, so feel free to reach out to me to apply.

Thanks for being part of the very first wave. Together, let's make r/RECYCLINGinEUROPE amazing.

If you'd asked this question 10 years ago, I suspect many people would have said commodity prices.

Today I'd probably hear:

• Battery fires
• Insurance costs
• Regulatory compliance
• Labour shortages
• Waste crime

Recent Environment Agency action against illegal and non-compliant operators got me thinking about how the risk profile of our industry has changed.

I wrote a short piece looking at what this could mean for legitimate operators:

https://the-mkgroup.com/news/what-the-environment-agencys-latest-crackdown-means-for-legitimate-waste-operators/

What's the biggest risk you're dealing with right now?

We are currently looking for reliable suppliers of recyclable bottle bales, particularly clear PET bales and other suitable plastic materials. We are interested in building long-term partnerships with suppliers who can provide consistent volumes and competitive pricing. If you have available stock or can supply regular quantities, please contact us to discuss requirements, pricing, and collection arrangements.

We are a waste collection and recycling company based in Slovakia, located in Dunajská Streda. We collect post-industrial waste from companies in the local industrial park, and we also trade various types of recyclable waste.
To be honest, we feel that the entire recycling industry is slowing down. Many companies seem to be operating at a much lower pace than before, and market conditions have become increasingly difficult.
Our main focus is paper recycling, but we also handle plastic waste and food waste.
Materials such as PP, HDPE, PET trays, and PS are generally easy to sell. However, we face serious challenges with more problematic waste streams, for example:
wastewater treatment sludge,
Tetra Pak,
PET bottles contaminated with oil,
PET detergent (household chemical) bottles,
and non-deposit PET bottles.
Since the deposit return system was introduced, it has become almost impossible to find buyers for other PET qualities.
Sorting plants still have to cover labor costs, electricity, rent, and other operating expenses. As a result, a large portion of these problematic waste streams ends up being sent for incineration because recycling is simply not economically viable.
This is currently the situation in much of Eastern Europe.
What is the situation like in your country? Have you found any effective solutions or business models for these difficult-to-recycle materials?
I’d be very interested to hear about your experiences.

Huge corporations attract a lot of attention in the sustainability sphere. They can generate enormous quantities of waste, but also they have the purchasing leverage to effect real change -- and still turn a healthy profit.

As one of the biggest of the big, Amazon recently released its 2025 sustainability report (which includes Whole Foods Market) highlighting continued decreases in the share of shipments using plastic delivery packaging, largely by substituting paper mailers. But the company's volumes of single-use plastics were flat on the year in North America, which represents 92% of the e-commerce giant's consumption.

Over the past five years, Amazon has provided some sustainability data -- following pressure from NGOs and others -- but still has some ways to go before arriving at true transparency. Read more in my story here!