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Plastic Recycling
Recycling should be part of any home. Most plastics are technically recyclable but which ones can you actually recycle yourself? Read on to find out more.
Overview of Plastic Recycling
While all plastics can be recycled, not all are recyclable through curbside recycling schemes. Contamination is one of the biggest problems with curbside recycling, as it increases the cost to collectors, recyclers, and the community. So, be sure that you know what plastics can and cannot be recycled. Always prepare plastics for recycling by rinsing residue from bottles and containers, removing labels and lids, and squashing bottles.
The Recycling Labeling System
The recycling system works through the use of a mobius symbol that looks like a triangle and has a number inside it. Here’s what the varying numbers mean:
- 1 – PET and is used for carbonated soft drink bottles, pillow and sleeping bag filling, and textile fibres
- 2 - HDPE and is used for freezer bags, milk bottles, bleach bottles, buckets, rigid agricultural pipe, and milk crates
- 3 - UPVC and is used for electrical conduit, plumbing pipes and fittings, blister packs, and clear cordial and fruit juice bottles – also PPVC which is used for solvent welded garden hose, shoe soles, cable sheeting, blood bags and tubing, and watch straps
- 4 – LDPE and is used for garbage bags, squeeze bottles, black irrigation tube, black mulch film, and garbage bins
- 5 – PP and is used for potato crisp bags, drinking straws, microwave ware, plastic kettles, plastic garden settings, baby baths, and plastic lunch boxes
- 6 – PS and is used for plastic cutlery, imitation crystal glassware, and low cost brittle toys – also EPS which is used for heat insulating panel insulation, boxes, and protective packaging for fragile items
- 7 – OTHER and includes all other resins and multi materials – examples include polyamide, acrylonitrile, acrylic, nylon, polyurethane, and phenolics
What Can Be Recycled
Generally, it is best to look for the recyclable symbol on plastic containers and then check the number. Most councils will accept numbers 1, 2 and 3, and some will also accept 4, 5, 6, and 7. It is best to look at the guide on the inside of your recycling bin or call the council for clarification. One non-recyclable item in your bin can actually ruin the whole load.
Plastic Bags and Why They Cannot be Recycled
Plastic bags cannot be recycled in the home. The best way to recycle these bags is to find a local supermarket that offers recycling facilities. Also check which plastic bags are accepted – most will only accept HDPE supermarket plastic bags and not the heavier LDPE bags used by other retailers. If you cannot find a recycling facility, the best thing to do with your plastic bags is to re-use them as garbage bags, or simply throw them away in the normal trash, tying a knot in them first to prevent them causing problems with natural wildlife if they should somehow escape. Do not place them in the recycling bin as they will just contaminate the items that are already in them. Similarly, do not put recyclable items in plastic bags (even if they are easier to carry!), as the staff at recycling centres will not open the bags, no matter what the contents are.
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