We all want to do our part to help the planet, but recycling plastic requires more thought than just throwing everything in the recycling bin. Not all plastics are ok yes Recycle. Additionally, if you don’t rinse the container and remove the labels from the recyclable plastic, you may render otherwise clean recyclable plastic useless. It’s important to know which plastics are acceptable and how to prepare them correctly. With some effort, we can ensure that more plastic is actually recycled instead of being sent to landfill.
this story is part CNET Zeroa series documenting the impacts of climate change and exploring what is being done to address the issue.
Unrecycled plastic either ends up in landfills or is incinerated, or it finds its way out into the ocean. According to NOAA Climate.gov, burning plastic produces carbon dioxide, which is responsible for the overall energy imbalance that increases Earth’s temperature. If placed in a landfill, plastic can take between five and six hundred years to decompose, depending on the type of plastic. The average time it takes for a plastic bottle to decompose is 450 years.
Here’s what experts have to say about plastic recycling. For more information click here Which to-go containers are recyclable.
How to recycle plastic
Recycling plastic may be more difficult than you think. You need to rinse out all food and liquids (except water) from the container before placing it in the trash. One recycling center employee told CNET that if the plastic is not clean, it could contaminate the entire batch, causing the recycling center to send the entire batch to a landfill.
When recycling plastic bottles, check the label to see if it says “shred to preserve.” If so, remove the cap, twist from the top and press down to crush the bottle. After crushing, put the cap back on the bottle so it can be recycled as well.
Learn which plastics are recyclable
All plastics are not the same. Many people throw all their plastic in the recycling bin without knowing whether it is recyclable. If it’s not a recycling center-approved plastic, employees will throw it in the trash.
So how do you know which plastics are acceptable? Contact your local recycling company to see if they accept them. Many recycling companies provide additional information on their websites about recyclable and non-recyclable items. If your local waste disposal company provides recycling bins, it may list the information on the outside of the bin.
Plastic containers usually have numbers on the bottom to indicate the type of plastic they are made of. For example, #1 and #2 plastics are almost always recyclable, while #6 plastic is not always accepted. Also, if the plastic says “compostable,” it must be composted and not recycled.
Use reusable bottles, straws and utensils to eliminate plastic waste.
Why is this important?
According to plastic action platform rePurpose Global, less than 10% of plastic is actually recycled. About 12% is burned, while the remainder is buried and thrown into the ocean.
About 91% of plastic is not recycled. While there are many types of plastic that cannot actually be recycled, these plastics are ultimately unsuitable for reuse due to consumer behavior. Leaving residue, trash or other materials on recyclable plastic can render it useless, so it’s important to remove what you want to recycle.
There are many obstacles to getting reusable plastics and giving them a second life. For example, some factories are simply not equipped with the machinery to handle the workload. But to improve the numbers for plastics that can be used as new materials, you have to do your part.
What else can I do?
The first step to preventing plastic waste is to limit the use of non-reusable plastics, such as plastic bottles. Instead, choose a glass or hard plastic bottle that can be refilled and used daily. Here are other ways to help.
- Use reusable straws instead of plastic straws.
- Avoid using plastic utensils unless they can be washed and reused.
- Recycle plastic bags and see if your local grocery store or recycling center will recycle them.
- Use cloth shopping bags.
- Stop wasting Solo cups and choose glass or reusable plastic cups.
- Reuse plastic products. Tobias Haider, researcher at PlastX, told CNET By 2022, “If we reuse plastic products, they won’t be a problem.”
- Remember, plastic foam is not recyclable, including egg cartons, packaging materials and peanuts. If you have a lot of plastic foam around your house, contact schools in your area to see if they can use it for projects.
