What Plastic Codes Do we recycle?

Question

I know all about the 1-7 codes but Do i have to seprate these in any way, like 1-4 and 5-7, or do they go all together, cant seem to find this anywhere...

Answer 1

Plastics with #1,2 or 4 can be recycled, and yes, here I have to sort them out.  Some of the 1's and 2's are CRV and are bought back.  But I donate the rest, plus general glass and other materials, to a local college that uses the money generated to fund a scholarship program.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Being the environmentally conscious person I am, I was rather dismayed when I read an article stating plastic containers collected in curbside bins are not recycled into new containers. My reaction and curiosity had me query, “Well then, what is done with the plastic?”

A little background on plastics is necessary before that question can be answered. There are hundreds of different types of plastics in our world today but there are only seven types that are consistently labeled. Look at the bottom of the container and find the chasing arrows with a number inside.

#1 is PET or polyethylene terephthalate. This is what liquor, beer and soda bottles, medication containers, and water bottles are made of. #2 is HDPE or high-density polyethylene. Uses for this are laundry and dish soap containers, milk jugs, bleach jugs, motor oil, and shampoo containers.

#3 PVC or polyvinyl chloride is found in many different products from coffee containers, seat covers, cooking oil bottles, shrink wrap and plumbing piping. #4 LDPE or low-density polyethylene is what most of our food and grocery bags are made out of. #5 PP or polypropylene is used for yogurt, butter/margarine, or other food containers. Diapers, outdoor carpet and the Tupperware brand storage containers are also made from PP.  

#6 PS or polystyrene is one of the worst types of plastic products available today. It is used to make hot beverage cups, meat trays, egg cartons, Styrofoam insulation, fast food containers and disposable cutlery. The problem with this product is it is not readily recycled in the United States and does not degrade when landfilled. Finally #7 is labeled as OTHER. This is a combination of any of 1-6 and additional plastic resins. This cannot be recycled ever.

Back to the primary question of recycling plastics, the numbers and descriptions referenced above will help to understand what can be recycled and what it can ultimately be recycled into since it will likely not be the original product.

#1, PET is the most widely used resin in plastic bottles. It is relatively inexpensive, unbreakable, and recyclable. The recycled PET can be made into new PETE containers (the added E indicates this material has been recycled) as well as used in spinning carpet yarns. PET can also be recycled into clothing fabric, shoes, furniture, and fiberfill for winter outerwear, luggage racks, bumpers, and door panels for cars.

#2, HDPE makes up 47% of resin used to make plastic bottles and together with the PET these account for 95% of the resins used to make the bottles. Recycled HDPE can be made into liquid detergent bottles, drainpipe, motor oil containers, pens, picnic tables and benches, fencing, construction lumber and floor tile.

There is a wide market for recycling #1 and #2 plastics. Collect these at home and bring them to neighborhood recycling centers. In addition, the LDPE #4 is gaining in popularity for recycling. Many grocery stores that use this type of plastic bag will have bins available for consumers to place them in upon their return to the store.  

#3 PVC when recycled can be made into flooring, vehicle mudflaps, decking, binders, cables and a variety of roadway uses. #4 LDPE recycled products are compost bins, trash cans, lumber, floor tile, furniture and shipping envelopes.

#5 Polypropylene can be recycled into brooms, brushes, ice scrapers, pallets and auto battery cases but along with #3 and #7 are usually not recycled at all. Limit your consumption of these items if possible so as to prevent having to dispose of them.

#6 Polystyrene known as XPS or extruded polystyrene has little recycling ability in the United States. These are the food trays, cups, egg cartons etc. that may be impacted by foodstuffs that render them non-recyclable. The Polystyrene Packaging Association does have a partial list of some industrial components that will accept polystyrene for recycling purposes. Further north, however Canada has the Canadian Polystyrene Recycling Association that helps communities establish a recycling program for this waste stream.

EPS or expanded polystyrene is a product that is recyclable. The Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers maintains a list of recycling locations in the United States. http://www.epspackaging.org/pdf/AFPRWebs...  If there is no facility nearby, another option is to mail-back the EPS to the Alliance. Information can be obtained for this program at http://www.epspackaging.org/info.html.

By doing a little research you can find the appropriate location in which to recycle your plastics.  Call the local department of public works, the local city or check out the EPA website http://www.epa.gov/rcc/ for additional information.

Answer 3

It all depends on your local regulations and ordinances for recycling and solid waste. I live in a City where we just implemented recycling for items label with the recycling symbol #1 - #7. These items are collected commingled from the curb meaning items can be combined in the individual's recycling bin. We also have a drop off center which is open 24-7, but the items have to be separated here. All of our containers are labeled, making it easier for residents to use our site. Before, we were just limited to plastics #1 and #2. When these go for processing, the company your city contracts will take care of the separation and processing of these recycled materials. If this helps, you can take a look at our website at www.allentownrecycles.org to get some info or go to Todd Heller's website (yes, that's the name of the company...lol), which is who we use to process our recyclables.  Good luck!

Answer 4

some towns don't take anything under #3, ask the recycler.

Answer 5

It depends on your local recycling program, and what they accept.  Generally, you can throw them all in the same bin.  Just make sure if you have a plastic bottle code #1, and it's got a cap that #2 you'll need to separate them from one another, but they can go in the same bin.

If different plastic codes are physically attached to one another, they could end up in the same bale and contaminate the other plastic.  If there is a certain level of impurity, it all goes into the landfill.