10 surprisingly difficult to recycle items – take the quiz

These materials are often contaminated with bodily fluids/food waste, which makes them unsuitable for recycling due to hygiene and contamination risks. Use washable cloths for everyday cleaning jobs and save the tissues and kitchen roll for emergencies.

Lithium-ion batteries are classed as dangerous – especially in large volumes – as they present a major fire hazard. But the main problem is the high cost of recycling them. Always take used batteries to a proper collection point – never the bin.

LEDs can be made from a wide range of materials – glass, plastic, aluminium, ceramics, copper, foams and glues – making them expensive and difficult to recycle. Don’t put them in your general waste. Drop them off at a WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) collection point.

Furniture recycling is labour-intensive, meaning the efforts don’t cover the costs. Wherever possible, donate or upcycle old furniture to spare it from landfill, and consider buying second-hand before hitting ‘add to basket’ on something new.

Mirrors aren’t just made of glass – the metallic backing used to make them reflective can’t be separated easily and would require specialised reprocessing equipment, which isn’t currently in place. On top of that, not enough mirrors are thrown out to warrant a separate collection system. The best bet is to donate or repurpose old mirrors.

Pyrex is heat-treated, meaning it doesn’t melt at the same temperatures as regular glass. Add to that the small quantities in the waste stream and a lack of dedicated processing equipment, and you’ve got a serious recycling challenge. Donate any unwanted dishes to your local charity shop.

Coffee cups aren’t the worst offenders, but they’re still a challenge. Apart from separate collection being an issue, they’re not considered to be commercially viable for processing in a conventional paper mill. If you’re a regular at your local coffee shop, bring a reusable cup – some places even offer a discount for the effort.

Manufacturers consider these products as high-hanging fruit, where the amount of time and effort in trying to capture them for practical recycling would be a waste of money. Switch to refillable pens, bamboo toothbrushes and safety razors where possible.

It’s important to keep compostable plastics out of plastic recycling systems. Although it’s not clear whether or not the material actually biodegrades fully in real composting conditions, they can be treated with food waste at in-vessel composting facilities. Only compost packaging items labelled ‘industrial compostable’ in your food waste bin – don’t put them in with plastics or garden waste.

The problem with black plastic is that most recycling sensors can’t detect it. Although some producers now use detectable black pigments. Avoid black plastic packaging where possible and support brands using detectable pigments.