Recycling question.?

Question

can i mix "HDPE" plastic with the plastic strapping stuff that holds crates together, or does it go in diff bins?

can i mix stretch wrap plastic and heat shrink plastic or do they need diff bins. thanks.

Answer 1

They need different bins.  HDPE (Plastic Number 2) can be mixed with PETE (Plastic Number 1).  Those get smashed together into a giant cube, shipped, and turned into hard pellets that are melted and formed into the new plastic item.

The soft plastic such as those that hold crates together will not crush into the giant cube and will not work.

However, they should be recyclable with the plastic shopping bags.  My sister used to work at the local Wal-Mart.  She said that they mixed the shopping bags and the pallet wrap together and shipped them back on the trucks to be recycled.

The soft plastic is often recycled into plastic lumber.  The hard plastic often becomes carpet.

Remember that plastic cannot be recycled into containers that holds food.  This is because it melts at such a low temperature.