Plastic Recycling

#1 and #2 Plastic Bottles:

Only #1 and #2 BOTTLES can be recycled. Always check bottles for the recycling symbol. If there is any other number on the bottle or it is a #1 or #2 "Compatible," it can NOT be recycled. If in doubt-throw it out.

Please rinse out bottles before recycling

  


Common #1 Plastic Bottle Examples:

  • Soda Bottles
  • Water Bottles
  • Peanut Butter Jars
  • Salad Dressing Bottles
  • Vitamin Bottles (SOME, NOT ALL)

 




Common #2 Plastic Bottle Examples:

  • Milk Jugs
  • Laundry Soap Bottles
  • Shampoo and Conditioner Bottles
  • Over-the-Counter Medicine Bottles (SOME, NOT ALL)

 

 

 

Items that are NOT accepted:

Ice Cream Tubs, Fast Food Containers, Plastic Bags, Zip-Lock Bags, Plastic Cups, Six-Pack Holders, Plastic Buckets, Flower Pots, Gas Cans, Plastic Toys, Etc.

Arizona Iced Tea Gallon Bottles, Tropicana Gallon Bottles, Muscle Milk etc.
They are #5 or #7 bottles, please check # on bottle.

No Motor Oil Bottles: Motor Oil creates a residue which contaminates the bottle.

    

The last word on plastic….or….why CAN’T I recycle any plastic container with a #1 or #2 on it

You go to the grocery store. You buy a container of strawberries/tomatoes/cookies/cake (you get the idea) and look at the bottom of the package. It has a #1 PET stamped on it. Great! So, you bring it to the recycling center and we tell you that we can’t recycle it. You are surprised, you point out the #1 on the bottom….so, what gives?

The vast majority of the plastics recycling market in the U.S. – over 90 percent - is #1 and #2 plastic bottles. Unfortunately, with virtually every plastic marked with the type of resin it is made from, the lines are definitely blurred for the general public.

Rigid plastics (what the industry calls these types of containers) are increasingly becoming a significant enough waste stream. Big enough, in fact, that manufacturers and recyclers are considering its potential as a large-scale recycling commodity.  But that hasn’t happened yet. And until it does, and we have access to that market, we can’t accept any #1 or #2 container that isn’t a bottle.  

And what about the rest of the numbers…….?

As time goes on we are seeing more and more bottles that are made of resins other than #1 and #2. And this means the potential for contamination. What are the biggest culprits?

-          Arizona tea jugs. These are made of #7 plastic and they cannot be recycled.

-          Large Minute Maid orange juice jugs. These are a combination of #2 and #7 plastic and cannot be recycled.

-          Lays stack chips in a tall blue container. These are a combination of #2 and #7 plastic and cannot be recycled.

-          Clear orange juice containers with a molded handle. These look like a #1 but are actually a #7.

Always check the container for any item you’re not quite sure about. And, also take some time and look at all the unacceptable plastics that we have displayed at the center. And if you have a question about anything, don’t hesitate to ask. We are all learning and will continue to do so!  

 

 

 

# 5 Plastic Recycling

All brands of clean #5 stamped plastic containers (not bottles) can be recycled.

Recycling Conditions:

  • Verify that the container is a #5 plastic
  • Wash all containers before bringing them in for recycling
  • Remove any paper labels by soaking them in hot water
  • Keep separate from #1 and #2 plastics

A long, long time ago many people asked this question: Why can’t I recycle this? “This” being yogurt containers, cottage cheese and whipped topping tubs, and many other “rigid” plastic containers that typically are made of Polypropylene, #5 plastic.

Although there are markets for this type of plastic, we don’t generate nearly enough to sell on a large scale basis. But, thanks to a local resident we found out about Preserve Gimme 5 Company, a Massachusetts-based company that manufactures many different types of household items from this plastic. And they do that manufacturing right here in the US.

Preserve Products has a drop-off program at grocery store chain Whole Foods, but with the nearest Whole Foods being in Pittsburgh, we had to move to option B, which is collecting the items ourselves and mailing them to Corning, NY.

Unlike the #1 and #2 plastic bottle recycling program, any #5 plastics dropped off at the center must be clean. Very, very clean. And, any labeling must be removed.

And, unlike the #1 and #2 plastic bottle recycling program, we must mail the stuff to New York, at a cost of about $1 a pound. We have this program in place as a courtesy to our residents. It is extremely expensive and we depend on the public to help cover the cost of postage. If you bring us a bag of #5 plastic, please put a dollar or two in the donation jar.

So, what kinds of #5 plastic have labels? Spice jars, Ensure jars, pancake syrup jugs, fruit jars, medicine bottles, and Cascade containers, to name a few. Some of these labels come off easily. Others require some soaking and some are just about impossible to remove. If you can’t remove the label, please throw the container away. We routinely fill up garbage bags with #5 plastic that still has labeling intact.

Now, let’s talk about the lids. A #5 plastic container doesn’t necessarily have a #5 lid. A lot of containers might be marked #5 but the lid is either a #2 plastic or a #4 plastic. If you are going to take the time to separate out this plastic for recycling please go the extra step and make certain the lids are marked #5 as well. Sometimes the #5 symbol can be found along the outer edge of the inside of the lid.

Lastly, let’s talk about clean.  Think of it this way: left over cottage cheese, yogurt, or dip doesn’t smell very good after being sealed in the container for a few weeks. Sometimes, when sorting through these items prior to packing them, we open them to make certain the lid is the correct plastic. It’s not a pretty sight!!! Nor is it a pretty smell. So, again, if you are going to take the time to bring these types of plastics to us, make certain they are marked with a #5 symbol and that they are clean.