Wishcycling

[3] Wishcycling is a well-intentioned but misguided activity that can significantly disrupt the recycling process.

This contamination not only hinders the processing of genuine recyclables but in some cases, may lead to entire batches being deemed unrecyclable and subsequently sent to landfills.

[7][8][9] Workers must expend extra time and effort to sort these items out, adding complexity to the recycling process.

This added workload leads to increased operational costs, affecting the overall economic viability of recycling programs.

Commonly wishcycled objects include plastic bags, bubble wrap, Christmas trees, wrapping paper, gift bags, pizza boxes, clementine boxes, clothing, bedsheets, ink cartridges, soiled paper products, and styrofoam.

A tag on a recycle bin in London, England , informing the owner that the waste could not be collected due to inappropriate items being discarded in it
Straightforward sorting bins for recycling can help reduce wishcycling, highlighted here in Singapore.