Types of Plastic Matter
In part three of her series on plastics, Julie Borgerding July walks us through the types of plastics we encounter, and whether we can recycle them.
In the US seven types of plastic are produced, at a rate of 450 tons a year. Only three of the seven are recyclable in the Twin Cities.
According to the Association of Plastic Recyclers, approximately 80% of rigid consumer plastic packaging is made of three types of resins: PET or #1, HDPE – #2 and PP – #5 plastic. Over 70% of the PET and HDPE containers that people put into their curbside bins are sorted, processed and effectively recycled today. And we recycle less than 20% of these plastics.
Following is a description of all 7 plastics. The recyclable plastics are highlighted.
- # 1 plastic (PET or PETE) is the most common and most easily recycled. Plastic bottles for water, soda and salad dressing are made from PET. About 42% is recycled. The rest, valued at $200,000 annually, is landfilled.
- #2 HDPE – High Density Polyethylene is made into milk and detergent bottles. Clear HDPE is most easily resold once processed. Processed colored plastic is not so saleable.
- #3 PVC – polyvinyl chloride is made into such things as pipes and siding. It is not recyclable.
- #4 LDPE – low density polypropylene is used for a wide variety of products from plastic bags to medical, agricultural and industrial applications. We use 12-15 billion pounds of flexible packaging every year in the U.S – things like packaging and plastic bags. But only 5% of it is recycled. The rest is landfilled. This type of plastic is not curbside recyclable. You must bring it to a participating grocery or department store. Kowalski’s, Cub and Target recycle plastic bags.
- #5 polypropylene or PP is made into food and hot drink containers. It makes up 1.8% of the plastic bottle market, making it the third most common type used for bottles (behind PET and HDPE plastics). Black #5 is NOT recyclable. Plastic straws are NOT recyclable.
- #6 polystyrene or Styrofoam is not recyclable. It is used for trays in cookie bags (the thin, crinkly trays that could be paperboard) and meat trays in grocery stores.
- #7 Polycarbonate is a rigid plastic used in a variety of applications such as windows, light fixtures, electronics, kitchen appliances, automotive parts and 3D printing. It is generally not recyclable.
So, what can we do with this information? We can be aware of the kinds of plastics that end up in our homes. We can recycle more of those plastics that can be recycled. We can inform ourselves about the chemicals in plastics and how they affect our bodies and our environment. And perhaps we can see a way to buy products with less plastic.
Learn more – below are some links to informative websites.
bettermeetsreality.com/what-are-the-most-problematic-harmful-types-of-plastic
