cred: Fen Branklin flikr photostream
We all know recycling is important to do, whether we participate in it or not. What many of us don’t realize is how we are suppose to recycle our goods, which often results in a lot more energy used at recycling plants that have to sort out un-recyclable materials. This website has a whole list of all types of products and whether or not they are recyclable; I highly recommend you checking it out sometime as a quick read to help you recycle responsibly.
Today though I thought I’d go over one the most confusing products to recycle: plastics. You may have noticed those little triangles with numbers inside of them on your plastic bags, bottles, and Tupperware. Each number corresponds to a different type of plastic, and whether or not you can stick it in your curbside container for pickup. To make things a little easier, I will tell you what popular products correspond with which number, and whether or not you will need to toss it, take it to another recycling site, or can stick it in your recyclables. Enjoy!
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Type One and Two recyclables
Type One (PETE) and Two (HDPE) plastics, are commonly found in some plastic bags, detergent containers, medicine containers, shampoo bottles, milk, soft drink, juice, cooking oil and water bottles. These plastics can be placed in your curbside recycling pickup container.
Type Three plastics (polyvinyl chloride), can be found in plastic pipes, shower curtains, medical tubing, vinyl dashboards, some baby bottle nipples, plastic food wrap and vegetable oil bottles at this time have to be thrown into the regular trash.
Plastic bags can be recycled at your local grocery store!
Type Four plastics (LDPE), are mostly found in grocery and sandwich bags. You can take grocery bags back to you local grocery store to have them recycled, but otherwise must be thrown into the regular trash.
Some popular Type Five plastics (polypropylene) include Tupperware, yogurt containers, syrup bottles, diapers, some bags, most bottle tops and some food wrap also must be tossed out. This means that you cannot throw your plastic bottle tops in with your plastic bottles!
Styrofoam can be sent to special collection sites!
Type Six plastics (expanded polystyrene) are types of Styrofoam, such as coffee cups, disposable cutlery, meat trays, packing “peanuts” and insulation. These types of plastic will need to be taken to a special site to be recycled, or otherwise will need to be thrown out. You can check out this website to find sites near you (definitely check it out, these types of plastic are really heinous on our environment)!
Finally, Type Seven plastics (layered or mixed plastic) are extremely hard to recycle. They are either imprinted with a 7, PC, or no number at all. One option you have is returning it to the product manufacturers (who then may take on the burden to recycle it). Otherwise, these must be tossed out.
That’s it! Don’t forget to check out this website for more information on recycling! Also, don’t forget to wash out your plastics!
Did this help you at all? Were you aware of how the numbering system works? Does your community have easily accessible recycling sites, or do anything special to help you recycle? Let me know!
Janine
1 year ago
I didn’t realize I could be recycling shampoo bottles. I feel like an idiot. They always end up in our trash.
I HATE STYROFOAM! I think it’s illegal or highly regulated here because I rarely see it except those takeout containers which are some Styrofoam hybrid.
It’s really just gross that *everything* isn’t recyclable by now. There really isn’t any excuse.
Maria Reply:
May 5th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Same here – it’s actually due to a recent Oprah show on recycling that made me realize I wasn’t recycling things I could, and recycling things I shouldn’t. That’s awesome styrofoam isn’t allowed in your area, I see it everywhere still
And I agree with your last statement – what makes me mad are most plastics are recyclable, they just take more work or aren’t profitable, so companies don’t bother doing it.
gorgeousglam
1 year ago
Girl if it’s plastic it goes in my recylcing bin! I don’t mess around, I’ve been sending my shampoo, bodywash, hairspry bottles for a minute now. I let them decide what they want to recycle but I give it all to them! I love this post!! Your’re the best
xoxo
Maria Reply:
May 5th, 2010 at 1:29 pm
LOL, for some reason this really made me laugh! I totally have been doing the same thing (except stuff that has residue on it). After a recent Oprah episode, I’m going to try to separate better!