Plastic, plastic everywhere! We can’t help but use plastic items at home, work and especially during our leisure time.
What should one do with the plastic packaging, containers and toys? Reuse them if possible; then recycle all plastic with the recycle symbol.
Have you seen the recycle symbol with a number inside the triangle on plastic containers? Arrows in the shape of a triangle tell us that the item is recyclable. If there is a number in the center of the triangle, that tells us what type of material was used in making the plastic.
Plastics marked 1, 2, 4 or 5 in the triangle are the most common. These plastics are considered reusable (some a limited amount) and recyclable. They are also considered a “safer” plastic, and used as storage for many food items. Consider:
No. 1 plastics could also be marked with PET/PETE, and are a thin and clear plastic, used for water bottles, 2-liter bottles or a peanut butter container.
No. 2 plastics could also be marked HDPE (high-density polyethylene), and are a thick and opaque plastic, used for milk jugs, juice bottles and toys.
No. 4 plastics could also be marked LDPE (low-density polyethylene). This plastic is soft and flexible and used for grocery bags, plastic wrap and garbage bags.
No. 5 plastics could also be marked PP (poly propylene). This is a hard and flexible plastic, used for ice cream containers, drinking straws and take–out containers.
Plastics marked 3, 6 or 7 are considered hazardous plastics. These plastics could also be marked with PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PS (polystyrene) or OTHER (which includes polycarbonate). Avoid these plastics if at all possible, but most are recyclable.
The Recycling Center at 720 S. Mapleton St. in Columbus accepts plastic containers marked Nos. 1-7. The center is open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. To reduce your wait time, sort the plastics by Nos, 1 and 2, and 3-7. The containers should also be rinsed out, so that no food particles contaminate the plastic material during the recycling process.
Grocery store plastic bags (No. 4) should be taken back to the grocery store for recycling. To reduce our cost it is important that we do not duplicate the services provided by the grocery stores.
For any recycling questions, please check our website at bcswmd.com.
Kari Spurgeon is the education coordinator at the Bartholomew County Solid Waste Management District. She can be reached at 812-376-2614 or kari.spurgeon@bartholomew.in.gov.
