There were some conflicting answers last time I asked this question so I feel it needs some clarification. The sign on the plastic bottle bank near where I work asks for only bottles (washing up liquid, fizzy drinks, cooking oil etc.) marked with the plastic 1, 2, or 3 logos.
It then goes onto say that they don't want yoghurt pots, margarine tubs, plastic cups, packaging, waxed drink cartons, plastic bags and food wrappers along with pesticides, car oil containers and DIY bottles. In larger writing it explicitly states 'No Plastic Tops or Lids'.
My question is when, as is the case with milk lids, one of the forbidden items is marked with a recyclable logo with a number corresponding to plastics that are accepted, is it OK to put them in and why? Are they just simplifying things?
The process of plastic recycling has always been less known to me than that of metals or glass. It would be nice to have an answer from someone who worked in the industry with first hand experience.
2007-02-26 23:54:19 · 4 answers · asked by cobrabarmc 1 in Environment
very few plastic bottle tops are made of the polymers marker with the 1, 2, or 3 logo. The reason coucils still reject them as not many people take care to look or would get confused so the ask not to have bottle tops so that there is less contamination ie the wrong materials in the recycling stream as it would mess up the process or mean it would all have to go to landfill.
Plastics are given the specific logos as they are different polymers and act differently when heated. During recycling they are heated to melt and then remoulded to be reused. Plastics that are not 1, 2 or 3 such as yogurt pots, margarine tubs etc will not react in the same way as plastic bottle. They would burn if subjected to the recycling process which would ruin the process. This is why certain plastics are not yet accepted. Very few places have facilities to recycle other plastics to it may be financially and environmentally costly to attempt it (eg transpost costs) New developments are being made in the industry to improve plastic recycling facilities.
2007-02-28 02:54:52 · answer #1 · answered by Carrot 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I have been recycling for years and was part of a city group to bring recycling to that city. It comes down simply to the fact there are different components of plastics in the lids, as the #7 that is stamped on many plastics. I am sorry I can not get technical here, but these components are not conducive to what is being recycled at this time....its all down to what will make them $ in the remarket.
Hope that makes sense :)
2007-02-27 08:10:54 · answer #2 · answered by brazenone 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'll be going to the local re-cycling center this morning; I'll ask.
I think a great question for higher levels of the recycling industry is: "Do they lobby for companies to start making caps so they can be recycled with bottles?" That would be a good one for your Washington DC representative, as well. It doesn't seem like there would be a good reason not to...
2007-02-27 08:03:03 · answer #3 · answered by Jeff W 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most plastic bottles are clear, or almost - tops/caps are coloured and go through a different process.
**Kind of like washing whites seperate from coloureds.
2007-02-27 08:12:30 · answer #4 · answered by Froggy 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋