unrecyclable

un·re·cy·cla·ble | \ ˌən-(ˌ)rē-ˈsī-k(ə-)lə-bəl

How to pronounce unrecyclable (audio)

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Definition of unrecyclable

: unable to be recycled : not recyclable unrecyclable waste unrecyclable plastics

Examples of unrecyclable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Unfortunately, that means more unrecyclable refuse getting thrown in the recycling bin: items such as bubble wrap, cellophane, Christmas lights, ribbons, clothing, foam and electronics. — Brian Chasnoff, ExpressNews.com, "‘Tis the season to recycle (the right way)," 29 Nov. 2019 Executives admit the new cup isn’t perfect — it’s still lined with plastic, rendering it unrecyclable by most standards — and the lid is still plastic as well. — BostonGlobe.com, "Dunkin’ fans, prepare yourselves: The end of the foam cup is finally at hand.," 15 Nov. 2019 Since then, Southeast Asia has seen a huge spike in waste shipments — much of it contaminated plastic that is unrecyclable — from developed countries. — Hillary Leung, Time, "Sri Lankans Ask the U.K. to Take Back Rotten Waste," 25 July 2019 Many toothbrushes are unrecyclable because the composite plastics most are now made of are difficult, if not impossible, to break apart efficiently. — National Geographic, "How your toothbrush became a part of the plastic crisis," 14 June 2019 The company’s mission is recycling the previously unrecyclable, such as cigarette butts, contact lenses and chewing gum. — Laura Daily, Washington Post, "Contact lenses, corks and Christmas lights can all be recycled. Here’s how.," 25 June 2019 Officials said a contributing factor is people mistakenly trying to recycle plastic bags and not rinsing their plastics, glass and metal — leading to contamination that makes materials unrecyclable and increases costs for local governments. — David Eggert, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan wants to double recycling rates with $2M campaign kickoff," 23 Apr. 2019 The risk is that devices like old iPads could become unrecyclable, at least in economic terms, for scrap companies that aren't getting paid some other way. — Anchorage Daily News, "The explosive problem with recycling iPads, iPhones and other gadgets: They catch fire.," 12 Sep. 2018 Housed in a plastic bottle—often fully or partly unrecyclable. — National Geographic, "The beauty industry generates a lot of plastic waste. Can it change?," 18 Apr. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unrecyclable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

4 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Unrecyclable.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unrecyclable. Accessed 8 December 2019.

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