Any idea where one can recycle the higher number (#3,4,5) plastics in Northern Virgina?

Question

Any idea where one can recycle the higher number (#3,4,5) plastics in Northern Virgina?

Answer 1

Because of the polymers used in #3, 4, and 5 plastics, the recycling of these materials is often more energy-consumptive than the energy saved in salvaging them.  I am not aware of any public facilities in noVA that deal with them, and I recall someone was trying to build a fancy private recycling center in eastern Loudoun that was denied a permit due to infeasibility.

If you do regularly buy products packaged in nonrecycleable plastics, consider writing or phoning the company and requesting that they switch to #1 or 2 -- sometimes these polymers are cheaper anyway.