Green Junction: Recyclables should not be put in plastic bags
The recycling of many ordinary glass, paper, and metal products is a powerful tool in our hands. It keeps these materials in circulation, significantly reducing the need for mining, manufacturing, and the associated damaging pollutants. While there are a number of glass, paper and metals that CANNOT be recycled, our collective efforts in recycling the ones that can make a significant difference.
Most plastic items cannot be recycled. For many years, I thought most common plastics were recyclable and recycled, but this doesn't seem right. Most plastics we use in a typical day are NOT recyclable and have become a horrific pollution burden on the earth and its inhabitants. The triangle symbol on numerous plastic items suggests they are recyclable; however, it is just an identification number. Plastics designated 1 and 2 (PET and HDPE) are mostly recyclable in their original forms.
In contrast, only some of the others are acceptable for recycling. Plastic water bottles made of PET are recyclable/downcycled. (Keep in mind: some plastic water bottles are made of nonrecyclable plastic, and all these bottles release thousands of micro and nanoplastics that are detrimental to human health.) PET plastics can be converted to other plastic materials, such as reusable plastic bags and plastic clothes (polyester). Still, then these plastics are mostly no longer recyclable. HDPE plastic milk jugs can be recycled/downcycled into composite lumber or outdoor furniture, which are no longer recyclable. Overall, you can be sure you recycle plastic correctly if you put numbers 1 and 2 plastics – free of debris – in your recycling bin. Contact your local recycling provider to find out if other plastics are acceptable.
An important note from Homewood Disposal Services and other recycling companies is that recyclables should not be put in plastic bags. These materials get caught in the materials sorting equipment. Nearly 18,000 US collection sites accept plastic bags and other film plastics, but these are not accepted in curbside collections; less than 1% of plastic bags are recycled. Unfortunately, a recent study by ABC News that tracked the movement of plastic bags from several of these particular collection sites showed evidence that half of the plastic bags ended up in landfills or incinerators –not at a recycling center.
The sustainable way forward is to reduce material purchases, invest in materials that are long-lasting/reusable, and avoid materials that cannot be part of the circular economy (the nonrecyclables). From John Lennon's song Imagine: "Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can; No need for greed or hunger, a brotherhood of man. Imagine all the people sharing all the world. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one, I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be as one."
Julie Peller, Ph.D., is an environmental chemist (Professor of Chemistry at Valparaiso University ). She has been writing a weekly column called The Green Junction for the past seven years and is helping to move the call of Laudato Si to action forward. Her Research Interests are advanced oxidation for aqueous solutions, water quality analyses, emerging contaminants, air quality analyses, Lake Michigan shoreline challenges (Cladophora, water, and sediment contaminants), and student and citizen participation in environmental work.