Fall means many things here in the Garden State. In addition to apple and pumpkin picking, fall festivals, and fun Halloween parades, fall also usually means it's time to tackle one of the most annoying chores there is: fall cleaning.

✨ Most people deep clean their homes twice a year. That is, of course, if they can find the time to do so. Sometimes, life gets in the way. That's totally understandable. It is a nice feeling, though, when you get to enjoy a clean home right before the holidays.

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Sometimes, deep fall cleaning means getting rid of things you've been hoarding over the past few months... or years. It can be hard to part ways with some of it, but you always feel so much better once you do.

♻️ Most people would prefer to recycle things they no longer need. The problem is, you can't just throw anything in the recycling bin and call it a day. Recycling rules can be a bit confusing, but they’re all about making sure that the recycling process is efficient and effective. In New Jersey, and many other places, there are specific things that are illegal to recycle for several reasons.

NJ Residents Warned About Recycling Illegal Items

There are some items that can mess up the recycling process. For example, if you put greasy pizza boxes in the recycling bin, the grease can spread to other recyclables and make them unsuitable for processing.

♻️ Some items are made from certain materials that aren’t easily recyclable or can’t be processed with regular recyclables. For example, plastic bags and wraps can get tangled in recycling machinery. Obviously, that's not ideal.

Some materials, like batteries or electronics, contain chemicals or components that need special handling. Sometimes, the recycling process might be more expensive than just disposing of the item in a different way. This is often the case with materials that don’t have a high market value.

♻️ Make sure you check the list below to see what you CANNOT toss in the recycling bin before deep cleaning this season. You don't want to get in trouble for recycling banned items. Also, if you need to get rid of them in a timely fashion, reach out to your local municipality to see what they suggest.

13 Items You Can't Recycle In New Jersey

Gallery Credit: Jessica Poxson

️️️ Speaking of trash...

The Trashiest Towns in New Jersey

Gallery Credit: Matt Ryan

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