No one wants to feel threatened at their job, but that’s just the environment that hoses create for workers who sort through recycling that’s being processed. Not only can a hose wrap itself around the machinery, but it can also cause injury to the workers as they pick up and move things that come down the line. Imagine a snake poised to strike if you make the wrong move; that’s the situation that workers at the Materials Recovery Facility must contend with when a hose finds its way into a curbside bin and ends up entangled deep in the machinery that they use.
Besides injury, best case scenario, a hose only shuts down the recycling process while it is being detangled and removed. A hose might seem like it’s made of recyclable materials but the plastics used are the hardest to recycle, and many hoses are made of more than one material. Your best bet is to repurpose your hose for other tasks. They can be made into soaker hoses, cool workshop decorations, or covers for sharp objects. Outside of repurposing, a hose has little value as it cannot be recycled and must go into the trash–and don’t we all want to make less trash? So, think twice about how you care for your hose and buy a sturdy one that can be used for years to come! The planet, and the workers at your Materials Recovery Facility, will thank you!