In the United States, the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers has organized a mail-back initiative, where consumers can send their polystyrene packages or trays through the regular postal service. However, if you really got a lot of Styrofoam in your storage room or cellar, you may be able to make some money out of it. The plastic flakes are then dried in a tumble drier, and are melted afterward in a machine called an extruder , where heat and pressure melt the material. Because there different types of plastic, each variant at different temperatures. The molten plastic is then forced into a fine screen to separate the contaminants, and the molten plastic is formed into strands. Here are some positive developments to cheer about: An estimated 8,550 curbside recycling programs are now operating in the United States, and these recycling and composting programs have recovered 32.1 percent, or 79 million tons of material solid waste. The total number though does not include data from hazardous, industrial and construction waste. Since mercury is a highly-toxic material, its disposal in landfills or incinerators poses a major health safety issue, because burning or burying them in the ground can contribute to air and water pollution. This has prompted the National Electrical Manufacturers Association in the US to voluntary cap the amount of mercury placed in each CFL unit. How To Recycle Cardboard Before you contact your local recycling facility, first tear or break down all the cardboard boxes you have at home, until they are flat in a stack. You may also need to break cardboard down, depending on your town or city s recycling program, so that it easily fits in a brown paper bag. The productive use of kitchen wastes helps reduce a town or city s sewage and garbage problems. The tin cans which often accumulate in your kitchen can also be collected and crushed, and sent to a recycling facility. Be Earth-Friendly When Going Shopping When shopping or going to the grocery, always bring a cloth bag, and avoid using plastic shopping bags, because these are very hard to recycle.