Your Questions About Recycling

The Expert answers:

Number 6 plastic is polystyrene. NYC does not currently recycle number 6 plastic (see below). However, if you really want to recycle it, there is a way (see the text after “EPS National Mail-Back Option”).

The majority of polystyrene products are currently not recycled due to a lack of suitable recycling facilities. Furthermore, when polystyrene is “recycled”, it is not a closed loop because polystyrene cups and other packaging materials are usually recycled into fillers in other plastics, or other items that cannot themselves be recycled and are thrown away. Thus, polystyrene is not really recyclable, so you best bet is to try to lower your consumption of products packaged in polystyrene.

At present, the NYC’s recycling program accepts ONLY plastic bottles and jugs. CHECK THE NECK: if it’s smaller than the body, put it in the recycling bin. If it is NOT a bottle or jug, put it in the regular garbage.
Over 90% of all plastic bottles and jugs are made of #1 PET and #2 HDPE (ALSO SEE information on the recycling arrows ). Other plastic items, including tubs, trays, pots, toys, and bags, may be composed of any number of other resins (PS, LDPE, PVC, etc.) that are present in extremely low quantities in our waste stream. See what’s in NYC’s waste.
Plastic resins must be sorted by type before they can be used to make new products. The presence of even small quantities of “contaminating” resins can ruin an entire batch of recycled plastic. Markets for recycled plastic are strong for PET and HDPE due to their significant presence in the waste stream and consumer commodities. Markets for other resins, due to their relatively small presence in the material economy, are weak or lacking. For both reasons, it is economically and environmentally advantageous to concentrate on HDPE and PET recycling over other resins.
While some plastic yogurt and other wide-mouth containers are composed of #2 plastics, some are composed of other plastics, such as #5 (polypropylene) plastic. Wide-mouth containers or plastic bags made from #2 plastics can’t be recycled along with #2 plastic bottles because they are formed differently and have different melting points.
In other municipal recycling programs in the U.S., such as San Francisco, residents are encouraged to recycle all plastics in order to maximize the recycling rate of HDPE and PET. If residents do not have to think about which plastic to recycle or to discard, the thinking goes, they will recycle more overall. In such programs, non-HDPE and non-PET resins are usually sorted out and discarded at the recycling plant. The labor and disposal costs involved are justified by the higher yield of HDPE and PET that “all plastics” programs achieve. In New York City, high labor and transportation costs suggest that such an approach is not worth the expense and extra citizen effort.

EPS National Mail-Back Option

If there is no EPS recycling in your community please send it via U.S. Postal Service or other carrier to the address below. Average shipping fees range from $1.50-$9.00 based on the total packaging weight. To maximize your EPS recycling efforts via the mail-back option we recommend the following:

1. Make sure the EPS is clean and free of any plastic film, loose parts or glued-on cardboard.

2. To increase the amount of EPS in each shipping container, it can be easily broken or cut into smaller pieces so that more foam can fit in individual boxes. AFPR will also recycle the corrugated boxes used to ship the EPS.

3. When shipping EPS biomedical coolers simply tape the top and bottom pieces together with shipping tape and apply the label and postage directly to the EPS. An outer, corrugated box is not necessary.

4. AFPR does not accept extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam including meat trays, cups, egg cartons or other disposable foodservice items for recycling.

5. Prepare shipping label and affix postage for delivery to:

Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers
1298 Cronson Boulevard, Suite 201
Crofton, MD 21114 USA

6. To facilitate shipping from home, the United States Postal Service (USPS) provides numerous options for printing labels and/or postage using online resources. This convenience also allows you to have the shipment picked up by your local USPS carrier as outbound mail.

EPS can be identified by the number 6 plastic resin identification code. Many types of foam plastic are not clearly marked; if you have questions please contact AFPR at (410) 451-8340 for clarification. To obtain information about other recycling opportunities, including foodservice, rigid durable goods and other plastics, please check the U.S. & Canadian Recycled Plastic Markets Database. For loose fill “peanut” recycling please visit the Plastic Loose Fill Council or call the Peanut Hotline at 800-828-2214.

The Expert answers:

The bags made from corn are one option, and paper is better than plastic because it will decompose much faster.
For me personally, I use paper bags from the grocery store from when I don’t have enough canvas bags that day. I have also reduced my garbage by composting my food, recycling, and buying less (especially buying less of the overpackaged items). I now throw out one paper bag of garbage about every three weeks to every month, and it doesn’t even smell bad. :}

The Expert answers:

There are recycle stations usually around the town. You can get glass, plastic and aluminum in different bags/containers and bring them to these stations/centers. They even pay you money for it in some places.
Just keep in mind, usually everything you recycle or most of it end up in the land-field anyway. The other part goes to China for recycling. So usually it double or triple the cost of the products that made from recycled materials. And to just ship all that garbage a lot of fuel and energy spent. But who really cares?

The Expert answers:

I’d use the paper bags for the kitty box and recycle the others.

The Expert answers:

Where I live,even though I don’t pay the bill,we have to pay for garbage($30 a month) AND recycling($60 a month) separately. And the recycling people don’t pick up glass or plastic bags. It would make more sense for them to either make it free or reduce the price but they want to line their pockets too. It’s ridiculous and stupid but they know it’s now a need and they can make a quick buck. (Garbage and recycle people only pick up once a week and the recycling can is so small that a 5 year old couldn’t fit in it. If you want to upgrade to a bigger can you have to pay $85.)

The Expert answers:

Boston’s recycling program (for example) specifically says no plastic bags.

Cereal bags can be used in place of wax paper, parchment paper, and sandwich bags in many cases. Here is a list of ideas for re-using them.
Http://www.betterbudgeting.com/articles/frugality/cerealbagliners.htm

Some grocery stores accept plastic bags in bins near their entrance. This is a tool that will help you find drop-off locations in your area:
http://www.plasticbagrecycling.org/01.0/

The drop-offs typically accept the following:
* Grocery bags
* Retail bags (hard plastic and string handles removed)
* Paper towel and toilet paper plastic wrap
* Plastic newspaper bags
* Plastic dry cleaning bags
* All clean, clear bags labeled with a #2 or #4
Unfortunately, cereal bags are not mentioned specifically, so call to verify acceptable materials before visiting the drop-off location.

The Expert answers:

They both have polythylene in them, which is terrible. But i found this website that has recycled garbage bags…you should use these (it’s the second source)

The Expert answers:

Assuming that you intend to reuse it for its original intended purpose (to store garbage) then it’s more than okay. Recycling garbage bags is not just economical, it’s good for the environment! Just remember to disinfect your hands everytime you handle them.

The Expert answers:

At some stores and groceries they now have bins you can throw your plastic bags in to recycle. I’ve seen them at a couple of Walmarts. I normally use them as trash bags in the bathrooms for the small waste baskets. Or sometimes I’ll store them and use them as protective stuffing or void stuffing for Christmas presents. They also come in handy whenever you are moving. Use them to wrap and pad your glassware and other breakable items.

Some of the larger bags can be used as sort of a raincoat in an emergency by cutting out holes for your head and/or arms to go through.

Sometimes I’ll use them as a lunch bag. Another good use is to use them as protective plastic sheeting for in case you spill something so you won’t have to vaccuum it up off the carpet. Or you can sometimes tape it against the wall for doing paint touch ups on your house walls. Or you can use them under a model toy when you or your kid is gluing a model together so they don’t get glue on the table.

I’ve even seen them used as quick plastic booties so someone doesn’t track in dirt into a house when doing remodeling or coming in from outside in the rain. A couple bags and a large rubber band does the trick.

I also use them for storage. I re-use my Christmas bows and I stick them in a plastic bag when I’m done and reuse them next year. And some of the Christmas ornaments and decorations are much easier to keep and store in plastic bags such as the tinsel strands and bead strands and bows.

And finally, if I don’t need a plastic bag I don’t take one. If you have one or two items, why do you you really need a bag if you can carry them by hand?