Plastic

Where to Recycle: Curbside or Community Drop-Off depending on type of plastic

In addition to curbside recycling, some plastic beverage bottles can be recycled by returning them to the grocer, with a $.10 deposit being returned to the customer. Check with your local grocer to see what beverage containers they accept.

Plastic #6 foam and #2 & #4 plastic film are generally collected separately and not through curbside collection programs because the nature of the material causes problems in the recycling process; expanded polystyrene breaks down easily and contaminates other recyclables, while plastic film often gets tangled in the equipment. Mason-based Dart Container provides some recycling opportunities for #6 expanded polystyrene or foam. PlasticFilmRecycling.org provides information and resources for recycling plastic film at grocery stores throughout the state. Most grocery stores have bins stationed at the front of their stores or by can-return stations where customers can place their plastic grocery bags, as well as bread bags, ice bags, cereal bags, food storage bags, and case wrappings from water bottles and paper towels.

See the Meijer website for more information on what they accept. Boat shrink wrap and agricultural films are also being recycled in Michigan, see the MRC program page on film for more details.

Background:

Plastics are a family of related materials which have different properties and can be manufactured to meet numerous use requirements, for products, packaging, or shipping. There are seven different types of plastic resins as identified by the plastic resin code (RIC). The RIC is typically stamped on a plastic product with a number surrounded by chasing arrows. The RIC does not indicate that the plastic is recyclable or made from recycled material, it simply indicates the type of plastic resin used in the product or packaging.

In addition to the seven different plastic resins, additives and dyes/pigments are included in plastics to change the properties and characteristics of plastics. Additives are chemical compounds added to improve the performance of plastic. For example, additives can make a plastic lighter, stronger, or melt at a different temperature. Pigments are particles added to the resin to give it a specific color – think of a green 7Up bottle versus a clear water bottle.

Why can’t certain plastics go in my curbside bin?  

Even though there are only 7 plastic resins, the combination of additives and pigments, and even molding types means that there are literally thousands of different plastic combinations. This means that not all plastics within the same resin code are the same. A water bottle and a clamshell container may be made from the same PET resin but have different additives and therefore different properties. These different properties make recycling them together difficult. Manufacturers cannot combine different types of plastics because of their different properties. They must be carefully sorted by type which complicates the recycling process and increases costs.

What types of this material qualify for recycling?

#1 PET composed mostly of soft drink bottles and #2 HDPE composed mostly of milk jugs and detergent bottles are the most commonly recycled RIC numbers and are almost always accepted in curbside recycling programs. While #3-#7 Plastics are less likely to be accepted in curbside recycling programs, the interest in recycling these plastics is growing. Always check with your local recycler to see what is accepted in your recycling program, as technologies and opportunities for recycling the full range of existing materials change every year.