Recycling plastics

Plastics are used in bottles, jugs, bags, tubs, foam, toys, and countless household goods. They are also one of the harder everyday materials to recycle well, because “plastic” is not one resin and because collection programs do not all take the same shapes. A triangle with a number on the package names the resin. It does not, by itself, mean the item belongs in your cart. That distinction is explained in full in What Do Plastic Recycling Symbols Mean?

What the latest EPA figures show

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s national Facts and Figures are still current through calendar year 2018. On the plastics material-specific page, EPA reports:

  • 35.7 million tons of plastics were generated in municipal solid waste, or 12.2 percent of all MSW.
  • About 3.09 million tons were recycled, an 8.7 percent recycling rate.
  • About 5.6 million tons were combusted with energy recovery, and about 27.0 million tons were landfilled.
  • Containers and packaging were the largest product category, at more than 14.5 million tons.
  • The recycling rate for PET bottles and jars was 29.1 percent; the rate for HDPE natural bottles was 29.3 percent — much higher than the all-plastics average.

Those are national totals, not a report card for your city. They do show why bottles and jugs are recovered more often than the mixed stream of toys, utensils, foam, and film.

What many curbside programs take — and what they do not

EPA’s How do I recycle common recyclables? page is the national overview, and it is explicit that some types of plastic are not accepted in community programs. In many U.S. cities, the reliable curbside set is:

  • Empty, clean bottles and jugs, most often #1 PET and #2 HDPE.
  • In a growing but still incomplete set of programs, clean #5 polypropylene tubs and cups.

These items usually do not belong in the household recycling cart, even when they have a resin code:

  • Plastic bags, wraps, and film. EPA says these can often be recycled at a grocery or retail drop-off, but they should not go in the household bin, where they wrap around sorting equipment. Earth911 can help you find a bag drop-off.
  • Polystyrene foam. EPA notes that very few localities accept it curbside.
  • Plastic utensils, hoses, and most toys or mixed-material goods.
  • Compostable or bio-based plastics. EPA says compostable plastics are not intended for recycling and can contaminate the stream. Use a compost program only if that program lists the item.

Follow the accepted-materials list for your address when it disagrees with a rule of thumb. How2Recycle labels, when they are on a package, are more specific than a resin number, but they still do not override the local list.

How to prepare plastic for recycling

  1. Empty the container. EPA’s guidance is “spatula-clean”: scrape or rinse off food residue. Heavy food debris keeps an item from being recycled.
  2. Caps and labels can typically stay on bottles, according to the same EPA page. Confirm that locally; a few programs still ask you to remove them.
  3. Leave items loose in the cart. Do not bag recyclables in plastic film unless your hauler requires it.
  4. When you are unsure, leave the item out. See Recycling Rules & Etiquette.

Reduce and reuse still come first

Because the national recycling rate for all plastics is low, the most reliable step is often not to generate the package. Reusable bottles, tubs you already own, and buying fewer single-use items prevent waste that a cart cannot fix. EPA’s broader recycle basics are on epa.gov/recycle and What you can do.

Stainless steel cups and tumblers are one reuse option. When they are worn out, The Recycle Guide accepts them for free mail-in recycling (you pay postage) at 16144 N. Main St, Jacksonville, FL 32218. Details are on Stainless Steel Cups. That program is for metal cups, not plastic cups.

For other materials, start at Recyclable Materials or How to Recycle?

Frequently asked questions

Does the number on a plastic package mean it is recyclable?

No. It is a resin identification code under ASTM D7611, not a collection promise. The FTC Green Guides also warn that a conspicuous chasing-arrows triangle can be read as a recyclable claim. Check your local list, and read What Do Plastic Recycling Symbols Mean?

How much plastic does the United States recycle?

EPA’s latest national figures are for 2018: 35.7 million tons generated and 3.09 million tons recycled, an 8.7 percent rate. PET bottles and jars (29.1 percent) and HDPE natural bottles (29.3 percent) were recycled at much higher rates than the all-plastics average.

Can I put plastic bags in my recycling cart?

In almost every community, no. Take clean bags and wraps to a store drop-off, or look up a location on Earth911.

Should I remove bottle caps?

EPA’s national guidance is that caps and labels can typically be left on. A few local programs still ask you to remove them, so follow the list for your address.

What about compostable plastic cups or bags?

They do not belong in a conventional recycling cart. EPA says compostable plastics can contaminate recycling. Only a compost program that lists the item should receive it.