Plastics have been in the news lately for being a major source of pollution. You might have questions, and you’re not alone. Here, we answer some of the questions we get asked most about plastics and recycling.
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Yes! Plastic is derived from crude oil. Banning plastic puts pressure on its producer, the fossil fuel industry. Plastic bans also bring attention to climate change, pushes customers to reuse, and encourages businesses to create reusable options.
Every town has a different situation. To find out what your recycling program’s current policy is, contact your municipality. If they’re no longer taking certain plastics, try to avoid those in the store as much as you can. You can also inquire about local drop off facilities for those types of plastic.
Opt for produce that isn’t wrapped in plastic and bring your own bag to carry them in. If possible, buy from a farmers market where food generally is loose. If it’s a product you love, contact the company asking for non-plastic wrapping. Your consumer voice matters!
Microplastics are pieces of plastic that are 5 mm or smaller. They can be created to be that size–such as microbeads in soaps—and they can be broken bits of a larger plastic or material with plastic parts. A Friends of the Earth study of UK waters found that the four leading contributors are car tires (due to abrasion on the road), external paint (from buildings and road markings), plastic pellets (used to make plastic products), and synthetic fibers from clothing.
Yes. Non-recyclable and non-reusable plastics are the worst in that they take several lifetimes to break down and leach chemicals like BPA in the process. Plastic straws have taken the limelight in the single-use arena, but abandoned fishing gear, plastic bags, cigarette butts, and food packaging (including water bottles) are the more commonly found debris in the ocean.
Plastic is coded with numbers 1-7 that designate material. Not all plastics are recyclable, and some aren’t reusable. Refer to your local recycling center’s guidelines of what numbers are accepted at search.earth911.com
Plastic is the most complicated material to recycle because each number designates a different polymer design–in other words, a #1 can’t be recycled with a #5 because they melt at different temperatures. Municipal funding levels, community pressure, and demand for recycled plastics determine what gets recycled. Unlike metals like aluminum that can be recycled indefinitely, plastics degrade each time they’re processed, making recycling more expensive than manufacturing new plastic.
Plastic wrap extends shelf life by regulating contact with air. Since food waste has a larger carbon footprint than any country except China and the US, reducing waste is important. However, alternatives to plastic wrap like Bee’s Wrap, Green America’s People and Planet Award Winner, achieve the same goal while being reusable and eco-friendly.
Many vegan clothing companies use recycled plastic as a leather-free alternative, but plastics in clothing still break down into microplastics that marine life consume. Consider buying secondhand.
While plastic bans are a recent trend, the reality is that plastic has become so integral to society that it won’t disappear soon. We should get better at recycling it, but that alone won’t solve the plastic problem. While alternatives may be more energy-intensive and expensive than plastic, reusables last longer than single-use plastic and may be indefinitely recyclable or compostable, making their overall carbon footprint lower. Lowering our consumption of plastics, not buying to begin with, and opting for reusables are less energy-intensive than consuming more.
Here are eleven easy ways to kick the plastic habit. And a challenge: could you go entirely plastic-free?
Find a Recycling Location Near You
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EPA receives various questions on recycling. Below are answers to some of the most common questions, broken down into five categories.
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Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products. Recycling can benefit your community, the economy and the environment.
EPA data show that recycling conserves energy and natural resources. For example:
When we make new products out of virgin materials, we expend energy to extract and process those materials. This includes burning fossil fuels. However, if we manufacture products using recycled materials, we reduce the need for virgin materials and save the energy required to extract and process them.
To estimate how much energy you can save by recycling certain products, EPA has developed a tool called the individual Waste Reduction Model (iWARM). This tool calculates how much energy you save by recycling aluminum cans, glass or plastic bottles, magazines or plastic grocery bags, and shows you how long those savings could power different electrical appliances.
The most effective way to reduce waste, and the most environmentally preferred strategy, is to not create it in the first place. Source reduction, along with material reuse, are the most functional ways to save natural resources, protect the environment and save money. Making a new product requires a lot of materials and energy, from extracting raw materials to fabricating the product to transporting it to the place of purchase. Check out EPA tips for reducing and reusing, and donation.
Please contact your local county or municipality to determine your local recycling options. Additionally, please check out the Earth911 website for more information.
Putting items in the recycling bin that can’t be recycled can contaminate the recycling stream. After these unrecyclable items arrive at recycling centers, they can cause costly damage to the equipment. Additionally, after arriving at recycling centers, they must be sorted out and then sent to landfills, which raises costs for the facility. That is why it is important to check with your local recycling provider to ensure that they will accept certain items before placing them into a bin. Some items may also be accepted at retail locations or other at local recycling centers.
Furthermore, some recycling providers require different types of materials to be collected in separate bins (multi-stream recycling), whereas other providers may accept different types of materials that are put together in the same bin (single-stream recycling).
Your local recycling facility might not accept all recyclable items. This is especially true with plastics. While plastic bottles are the most commonly recycled plastic products, other plastics may or may not be accepted in your area, so first check what your local recycling provider accepts. It is important to understand that the existence of a plastic resin code on the product does not guarantee that the product is recyclable in your area. Additionally, glass may not be accepted in some areas, so please confirm with your local provider.
Generally, these are the most commonly recycled items. Please confirm with your local recycling provider first before putting these items in your curbside recycling bin, however, since what is accepted depends on your area.
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Generally, plastic bags and wraps, electronics, and textiles cannot go in a curbside recycling bin. Please check with your local recycling provider first, though, to be certain since it depends on your local area. Do not put items in your recycling bin unless you know they are accepted. Non-recyclable items can contaminate a whole load of recyclables, causing them to all be thrown out.
Compost is organic material that can be added to soil to help plants grow. It enriches soil, helping retain moisture and suppress plant diseases and pests. Compost also reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, and it encourages the production of beneficial bacteria and fungi that break down organic matter to create humus, a rich nutrient-filled material.
To compost at home, you’ll need browns (dead leaves, branches and/or twigs), greens (grass clippings, vegetable waste, fruit scraps and/or coffee grounds), and water, along with a dry, shady spot for your pile or bin.
View EPA’s Composting At Home page for more information.
EPA does not have information on the environmental benefits of paper versus plastic bags. The Agency encourages consumers to:
Consumers also can reduce waste by using reusable shopping bags.
First, be sure to cut off the zippers (if necessary).
Many grocery and department stores will accept plastic bags and wrap/film. Please ask your local grocery and department store, or visit the Earth911 to find a location nearest you that recycles plastic bags and plastic wrap/film.
Styrofoam: While most recyclers don’t accept Styrofoam, check with your local recycling provider first to be certain.
Egg cartons: It depends on the material of the carton. Please check with your local recycling provider first to be certain.
EPA uses a life cycle perspective when comparing the environmental impact of different materials and products. The Waste Reduction Model is a tool that can help an individual, business or municipality compare the environmental impact of 54 materials and six management practices. We don’t promote a single material or management practice; alternatively, we encourage users to compare scenarios themselves.
While we provide general guidance below, please check with your local recycling provider first for area-specific guidance.
Generally: Plastic, metal and glass materials must be empty and rinsed clean of food debris before being recycled. Paper materials must be empty, clean and dry before being recycled. Wet paper/food-soiled paper products may be compostable.
While we provide general guidance below, please check with your local solid waste agency/recycling provider first.
Generally, you should flush the excrement down the toilet and then place the diaper in the trash. Also, consider using reusable cloth diapers instead of disposable diapers.
Gently-worn clothes and shoes can be donated to many charities. For damaged clothes and shoes, please double check with your local charity to see if it will accept them. Additionally, some retail stores recycle clothing or shoes. Check your local ones to see if they accept these items for recycling.
Check with your local program first when recycling (whole) glass. Most curbside community recycling programs accept different glass colors and types mixed together.
Electronics: Manufacturers and retailers offer several options to donate or recycle electronics, including cell phones, computers and televisions. Please also check with your local recycling facility for best ways to recycle electronics, and visit our Electronics Donation and Recycling page for more information.
Bottle Caps: Please check with your local recycling provider first, but you should be able to recycle bottle caps if they are attached to the bottle. Please also verify whether you can recycle loose bottle caps.
Books: Check local places that take donations (schools, places of faith, charities, non-profits) to see if they will accept books, and contact your local recycling provider for ways you can recycle books in your area.
If you use gift wrap, look to find a type that can be recycled or that is made from recycled content. Consumers can also reduce waste by using decorative boxes that do not require wrapping and that can be recycled.
A lot of gift wrap isn’t recyclable because of the coating on the paper, which is often shiny and laminated. However, check with your local recycling provider first to be certain and for the best ways to dispose of wrapping paper.
The Agency encourages consumers to reuse gift bags and tissue paper, and not discard them after a single use.
EPA considers some leftover household products that can catch fire, react or explode under certain circumstances, or that are corrosive or toxic, as household hazardous wastes. Although it depends on your local solid waste agency/recycling facility, some examples include pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, paints, solvents, oil filters, light bulbs, batteries, aerosol cans that aren’t empty, ammunition, ammonia, antifreeze and nail polish.
Please see our Household Hazardous Waste web page for more information on household hazardous wastes and tips for how to reduce it in your home.
Paint: Check local places that take donations (schools, places of faith, charities, non-profits) to see if they will accept paint donations, and contact your local recycling or household hazardous waste facility for ways you can recycle paint in your area.
Barometers and thermometers: Please avoid discarding them in the trash. Check with your local recycling or household hazardous waste facility, or visit Earth911 for more information on ways to properly dispose them, as some thermometers are considered household hazardous waste.
Burnt-out light bulbs: Check with your local recycling facility for recycling options for burnt-out light bulbs, or take them to a retail store in your area that offers light bulb recycling.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of recycled abs plastic pellets. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.