Can you recycle candles in glass jars?

As we’ve covered in depth, lighting a toasty fall candle is the ticket to transform any garbage life into a dreamy, fragrant wonderland. But what to do with all those jars?

I felt bad throwing away used candles, but prying the remaining wax out was an exercise in absurdity. Wax shreds, everywhere! After poking around online, I found that people were putting candles in the freezer. This shrinks the wax and allows it to pop out. It works; try it! Even the most stubborn wax breaks with a butter knife.

But I was curious about what happened after I tossed the jar in the blue bin. Much at the recycling plant ends up rejected, and candles have so many variables: wicks, stickers, lids, the ghosts of our tears, etc.

I checked with Dawn McCormick, spokesperson with Waste Management Inc. of Florida.

"Glass jars must be clean, dry and empty of all contents in order to be recycled," she said. "No wax, no wicks, no stickers, no lids."

She went on: "Most individuals, we find, would not want to work that hard to recycle a glass candle jar. Instead, we encourage individuals to recycle more: clean, dry and empty. Paper and cardboard, plastic bottles, jugs and tubs, aluminum and steel cans and glass bottles and jars."

Extra work, but we can do it. Candles provide so much peace. Let's bathe them and let them live on forever.