Earl's Pearls
Why Plastic Caps Belong in the Trash, Not the Recycle Bin
Q: Earl - Everyone knows we
should recycle metal, glass,
and plastic cans and bottles,
but what about all the lids, tops, and caps? I see
people recycling plastic bottles, for example,
with their caps on, but I've always been told to
throw them out. Is that wrong?
- Lidia in Euless
A: Dear Lid -
Many recycling programs throughout the U.S. still do not accept plastic lids, tops and caps even though they take the containers that accompany them. Plastic lids are not typically made of the same plastic as their containers and therefore should not be mixed in with them.
Just about any plastic can be recycled, but when two types are mixed, one contaminates the other, reducing the value of the material or requiring resources to separate them before processing. Plastic caps and lids can also jam processing equipment at recycling facilities, and the plastic containers with tops still on them may not compact properly during the recycling process. They can present a safety risk for recycling workers.
