How come plastic recycle banks only accept plastic bottles?

Question

I would have thought that recycled plastic is eventually sorted by kind, i.e., PET, PE, etc. these different kinds of plastic are also indicated by a triangle with a number inside. If recycled plastic bottles are sorted on this basis, why can't we recycle every other plastic item of the same kind? Why just bottles? I get the feeling there is so much more that could be done...

Answer 1

The reason why only bottles may be accepted is due to the efficiency, cost, and contamination issues of other items. The plastic from most bottles can be washed cleaned and separated easily once it has been ground up. Plastic sometimes can even be sorted by water separation processes. Some plastices will float in water and others will not, allowing certain plastics to be separated by skimming the plastic that floats off the top fo the water then collecting the plastic that sinks to the bottom. I believe this is often how they separate the plastic from the bottle caps which are usually made out of polypropylene (PP, #5) from polyethylene terephthelate (PETE, #1). I can't say for certain without looking up the densities of the two plastics though.


If you start getting into other items you start risking contamination of the plastic that could affect the ability to use the plastic at all. That is one reason why things such as expanded polystyren containers are not normally recycled. They normally have a lot of food particles on them that are hard to get off and since the plastic has been foamed the amount of plastic they would get back to form recycled plastic pellets for creating new plastic products would be no where near cost effective.

There are other plastic products that are typically recycled, but they are normally recycled at an industrial level. Sometimes polystyrene (#6), polyethylene (#2), and polypropylene (#5) cushioning materials are recycled. Sometimes stretch wrap (low density polyethylene, #4) is gathered and recycled if used in large enough quantities. And most of the plastic on cars that go to the junk yard is recycled.

Answer 2

Yoghurt pots, and such aren't made from the same type of plastics as bottles. But most plastic that is recycled in a Bertie Bottle Bank, is shipped off to places like Greece and Italy where it is chopped into flakes and landfilled.

I think we should go back to using glass bottles. At least that is recycleable. Yes it's more heavy, but it's so much more reusuable than Plastic.

Answer 3

You can recycle them by using them for something else. We save the plastic caps from the gallon milk jugs and make checker games. We will store the game in a recycled crystal light container. And the checker board is painted on a recycled piece of material or felt. You can find an organization that works with a children's ministry and send the games to children is other countries. Totally recycled and not just a craft project that is going to end up in the land fill. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Yes you are right about more could be done but those plastic banks are run for profits. They take free bottles and turn them into something new that they have contracts.

They don't have time to read those tiny triangles when they can get plenty of plastic without reading them.

Answer 5

I get the feeling that this is 'cherry picking', plastic bottles being the easiest things to recycle - and the contractors don't want to sort the stuff. It frustrates me too - time for legislation do you think? Fat Chance!

Answer 6

That is a very good question indeed! If you contact your local council they will tell you who does the recycling for your area - speaking to them might get the collection points changed.

Answer 7

Well first off it the plastic recicle bank but if you want to change that go to who ever is in charge and talk to him.