Recycling is beneficial for environmental health in many ways. It diverts materials from landfills, preserving land and water as habitat for wildlife. Recycling also helps wildlife by eliminating the risk of animals being harmed by or consuming litter and microplastics. Properly disposing of waste by recycling preserves their habitat. Habitat loss is the leading threat to plant and animal species. Recycling also reduces the use of raw materials like bauxite for aluminum and fossil fuels for plastics. It lowers greenhouse gas emissions by eliminating the need to harvest and process those raw materials. Without taking action to curb greenhouse gases, expedited climate change can lead to ecosystem shifts like migration pattern disruption and the way plants and pollinators interact. Choosing to recycle is a personal conservation action that has a direct impact on native wildlife.
On a small scale, recycling helps wildlife by eliminating the risk of animals consuming recyclable waste or getting trapped and injured by garbage and microplastics which also preserves their habitat. Here are some ways in which your conservation actions and proper recycling can positively impact wildlife:
Electronics Recycling
Properly recycling electronics is necessary to protect humans and wildlife from land and water contamination. The St. Louis area includes two major water systems: The Mississippi River Drainage Basin is the largest in the country and the third largest in the entire world. The River des Peres Watershed is central to our region and crosses regional borders, reminding us that we share our land and water regardless of municipality. Discarded electronic waste contains hazardous substances such as mercury and cadmium that can leach into water and soil if not handled properly. To locate electronics recycling events happening near you visit our events page or Midwest Recycling Center’s website. In addition, you could use the search feature in Recycle Coach to locate a donation depot that may be able to take your specific items. Mark your calendars for our two 2025 electronics recycling events: April 12 and October 25.
Household Hazardous Waste Recycling
Missouri is home to many rivers, lakes, and bodies of water. The Columbia Bottom Conservation Area and Edward “Ted” and Pat Jones-Confluence Point State Park are notable areas of conservation at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers in Missouri. Many migratory species rely on this waterway and keeping it uncontaminated is important to the health of wildlife. Properly recycling household hazardous waste such as used engine oil and batteries is one way to keep those contaminants out of the waterways. Engine oil from a single oil change can negatively affect up to 4 million liters of freshwater if not disposed of properly. To schedule a HHW drop off visit St. Louis House Hold Hazardous Waste.
Blue Bin recycling drop-off locations
Consider using a recycling drop-off location. Do you live in an apartment building that doesn’t have recycling? Are your alley dumpsters highly contaminated? St. Louis city residents have access to 25+ drop-off recycling sites operated by the City’s Refuse Division. The drop-off locations are for residential use only. This ensures materials meant for the recycling facilities make it there, another important factor to keeping native wildlife healthy. A list of drop-off locations can be found here.
Compost your food waste
Composting is a way to recycle some of your food and yard waste! By composting, you are keeping these materials out of our landfills, where they take up valuable space and release methane – a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. As we know, climate change can lead to species loss. Making the choice to compost can create such a desirable garden product full of nutrients that it is sometimes called “black gold!” Compost returns those nutrients back to the earth to contribute to a healthy ecosystem.
We can make a difference
Recycling offers numerous environmental and human health benefits. Consider incorporating some of these actions to protect and preserve wildlife and biodiversity. Are you eager to make a greater impact on recycling efforts in Saint Louis City? Discover ways to make a difference in our city.
