Are you recycling plastic as much as you could be? Plastic recycling can include much more than just dropping soda bottles in a bin. Here are some tips to bring your plastic recycling to the next level:
1. Toss more bottles in the bin! Drink bottles and milk jugs aren’t the only bottles you can recycle. You can also recycle bottles from cooking oil, condiments, and salad dressing. And don’t stop with the food leftovers; you can also recycle shampoo, conditioner, detergent and cleaning product bottles. Check local waste management services guidelines about what to recycle if you’re unsure if something can be recycled.
2. Get more mileage out of your plastic shopping bags. You can re-use plastic bags as bin liners for garbage cans, cat litter liners, garbage bags for your laundry room or craft projects, and for wrapping food and wet clothes. You can also use them to go shopping again. If you have too many to use, bring them to a grocery store. Most will accept them as recyclables.
3. Plastic shopping bags aren’t the only bags you can recycle. You can also bring plastic food wrap, food storage and freezer bags can be recycled along with your bags. All you have to do is clean out any food material and snip off sealing mechanisms. Recycling all your clean, dry plastic bags is a great way to maximize your plastic recycling.
4. Switch to reusable shopping bags. You won’t even need to recycle plastic bags if you bring your own shopping bags with you to the mall or grocery store. This sends a message to retailers that consumers don’t need plastic, and it cuts down on clutter in your home. Plus, you won’t have to head to the store to drop of your bags every time you have too many! Store some reusable shopping bags in your car so you don’t have to worry about forgetting them if, for example, you stop to pick up groceries on the way home from work.
5. Recycle containers, lids and cups as well. Your recycling service may not take these materials, but more and more communities are collecting recyclables themselves through local grocers or other businesses. Yogurt cups, electronic packaging and other extra plastics may be eligible for initiatives like this.
Right now, we’re only recycling about 30% of waste, when in fact 75% is recyclable. Doing your part to reduce plastic waste is easy and helps the planet!