Imagine a group of superheroes focused solely on the campaign to recycle your products. This group would make recycling fun with songs, activities and games designed to educate students on the benefits of recycling. This group does exist, and is known as the Recycle Guys.

The Recycle Guys were created by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control in 1997. The seven characters are all representatives of products that can be recycled, from paper to batteries to tires. When put together, the letters from each character spell out “Recycle.”

You may have already seen the Recycle Guys in your community, as several states in addition to South Carolina use the Recycle Guys in video and Web site promotion. With the Recycle Guys, you can also play bingo, practice your coloring and learn about the recycling cycle in comic form.

Meet the Recycle Guys

Milk Jug Guy—This Recycle Guy is made of #2 plastic, which is recyclable by many curbside programs and can be found in many plastic containers including detergent bottles and milk/juice jugs. He encourages everyone to recycle these plastics because they can be turned into different plastic containers.

Newspaper Guy—This Recycle Guy is made of paper, the most commonly recycled product in the United States and one of the most valuable. Even though many people know how and why to recycle paper, he strives to increase paper recycling participation as well as the purchasing of paper made from recycled content.

Battery Guy—This Recycle Guy is made of batteries, an important product to recycle because of its potentially harmful effect on the environment. He is important because batteries may contain hazardous chemicals such as lead or mercury, which can contaminate soil and water if thrown in the trash and placed in a landfill.

Plastic Bottle Guy—This Recycle Guy is made of #1 plastic, which is a different form of plastic than #2 plastic but is also recyclable in many curbside programs. He represents one of the biggest current issues in recycling, the abundance and proper disposal of plastic beverage containers.

Tire Guy—This Recycle Guy is made of tires, and never gets “tired” of recycling. He encourages the recycling of car and bike tires so they don’t get burned and release toxic fumes into the air; tires can be recycled into cool materials including hoses and playground covers.

Dottie Bottle—This Recycle “Gal” is made of glass, another material accepted in most curbside programs. She promotes recycling glass into other glass bottles, but also promotes handling these products with safety so they don’t break and potentially cut someone.

Can Guy—This Recycle Guy is made of aluminum or tin, both valuable materials that should be recycled so the metals can be reused in other products. He represents another commonly recycled product, and can also be extra valuable in states that offer cash refunds for recycling cans.

All visuals courtesy of the South Carolina DHEC Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling.