Column: Randy Tuchtenhagen, Solid Waste Officer

One thing the recycling industry has failed to do is adequately educate people about what “is” and “is not” recyclable. Plastics are probably the most common example because there are so many different kinds. They are not all the same and cannot all be “mixed” together to make something new.

Plastics must be sorted according to type of resin or you will be left with a pile of unmanageable goo to deal with. Most recyclables are now machine sorted and very little “hands on” sorting is used.

If we look at the arrow triangle on plastic containers there will be a number inside the triangle. A No. 1, for example, means that it is a clear, tough plastic with moisture barrier properties. It is a PET or PETE polyethylene plastic used for soft drink bottles, carpeting, strapping, molding compounds, peanut butter and salad dressing bottles.

If we find a plastic container with a No. 2 inside the triangle of arrows it is a HDPE or high-density plastic. This type of plastic is used to make bottles for milk, juice, water and laundry bottles. You may notice they are a little thicker and stronger than No. 1 and will have increased stress crack and chemical resistance. These injection molded containers are more resistant to warping and distortion and are good for use with margarine tubs and yogurt containers or toxic and acidic liquid bottles.

A No. 3 plastic container called PVC or polyvinyl has excellent transparency and clarity, chemical resistance, long-term stability and weatherability properties. This type of plastic is used for clear food packaging, shampoo bottles or automotive fluids. It is known for its strength and resistance to grease, oil and chemicals.

A No. 4 plastic is called LDPE or low-density poly. This type of plastic is used for bread bags, frozen food bags, grocery bags and squeezable bottles like honey and mustard or a bottle lid. They are popular to make because they are easy and still offer a barrier to moisture and ease of sealing.

A No. 5 plastic is PP or polypropylene and has excellent chemical resistance, strong, high melting point making it good for heated liquids. They are found in rigid packaging and large molded parts for automotive products.

The No. 6 plastic — the one we do not accept in the recycling — is a PS or polystyrene. PS can be rigid or white-foamed, clear, hard or brittle with a low melting point. Do not heat them. They make good clamshell food boxes or egg cartons, cake and pie covers and we often find them under the meat we purchase.

The last common number we often find in the triangle of arrows is seven and is a different resin than the other six. It is often made from a combination of one or more of the other resins mentioned here and a blend of characteristics needed for a particular use. Plastic lumber is a good example of what can be made by blending as long as there is no No. 3 in it. And so on. It’s a tricky mix that requires extensive knowledge of mixing resins.

Given this information it’s obvious that we cannot throw just any plastic item into our recycling cans. It must be made from the numbers listed on our Recycling Information & Instruction sheet that lists what is acceptable to our program. Anything else is garbage or contamination that must be removed. Please do us a favor and check the number before you recycle plastics. No number or no triangle of arrows? We don’t want it.

 

Randy Tuchtenhagen is the Freeborn County solid waste officer.