Sorting Trash - Earth Day Recycling Activity - Free Printable

Let’s go step by step to sort each item into either “Recycle” or “Garbage”.

First, remember:
- Recycle means things that can be turned into new stuff — like paper, plastic bottles, cans, cardboard.
- Garbage means things that can’t be recycled — like food scraps, dirty wrappers, broken items.

Now let’s look at each picture one by one:

1. Purple shampoo bottle (plastic) → Plastic bottles are usually recyclable → Recycle
2. Banana peel → This is food waste → Garbage
3. Cardboard box → Cardboard is recyclable → Recycle
4. Open book (paper) → Paper books can be recycled → Recycle
5. Sandwich with crusts → Food = garbage → Garbage
6. Juice box (with straw hole) → Some juice boxes are tricky, but many are not easily recyclable because they’re made of mixed materials → Garbage *(Note: In some places these might be recyclable, but for basic sorting, we’ll put them in garbage unless told otherwise)*
7. Soda can (aluminum) → Aluminum cans are definitely recyclable → Recycle
8. Newspaper → Paper is recyclable → Recycle
9. Hamburger → Food = garbage → Garbage
10. Green glass bottle → Glass bottles are recyclable → Recycle

Wait — let’s double-check the juice box. Actually, in many school-level sorting activities, juice boxes are often considered *not* recyclable because they have plastic lining and foil inside. So yes, we’ll keep it as Garbage.

Also, banana peel and sandwich/hamburger are clearly food → Garbage.

Now let’s list them under the right categories:

✔ Recycle:
- Purple shampoo bottle
- Cardboard box
- Open book
- Soda can
- Newspaper
- Green glass bottle

✔ Garbage:
- Banana peel
- Sandwich
- Juice box
- Hamburger

That’s 6 items for Recycle and 4 for Garbage.

Final Answer:
Recycle: purple shampoo bottle, cardboard box, open book, soda can, newspaper, green glass bottle
Garbage: banana peel, sandwich, juice box, hamburger