Your Questions About Recycling
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Filed under Recycling Q & A
Sandra asks…
Why aren’t all items with a recycling symbol usable by recycling companies?
The Expert answers:
Because recycling companies only want plastics they can sell. Things like polystyrene are SO cheap to make that collecting and re-processing them does not make economic sense. Some plastics like polypropylene or vinyl are either difficult to re-process due to the nature of the plastic, or are used in small volume/niche products that make collection too difficult.
William asks…
Help!! WHat is the meaning of the international recycling symbol?
also 6 names of products that contain this symbol.
here is a pic of the symbol
http://s245.photobucket.com/albums/gg65/smiling_alligator/?action=view¤t=recycle.jpg
The Expert answers:
It represents the idea that some materials can be used and reused indefinetly, without having to use any more of the Earth’s natural resources.
Glass, for example, can be melted down to make new glass, without compromising the quality of the material. Paper can be broken down to make more paper. Some cloth fibers can be made into new cloth, or paper. Steel and iron can be resmelted to make new products, and so on. You may be riding in a car that contains metal that has been in several cars before yours.
Steven asks…
Is a Recycling Symbol (a triangle sign) on bottles, which do not have a RESIN number, also reusable?
I learned that bottles with RESIN number below “5” release cancer-causing chemicals…
The Expert answers:
They must be if they have the sign on it. (A little general for most of my answers)
Marissa;)
Thomas asks…
On any product ( for ex. Plastic food container) . There is a recycling symbol with a number insider ( ie. 1,2
On any product ( for ex. Plastic food container) . There is a recycling symbol with a number inside ( ie. 1,2,3,…). I understand that they are the numbers that tell you what class the product resides into the chain of recycling. ( Which one is the most biodegradable, etc…) I want to know where do I read about this classifications? As I have a food container in my hand which says ‘6’ inside the triengle.
Thank you in advance.
The Expert answers:
Here is a link which describes the differences in the number classification system.
Http://recycling.stanford.edu/recycling/caq_plastic.html
#1 PETE: Polyethylene Terephthalate.
Commonly used in soft drinks, juice, and cough syrup containers and microwave trays.
#2 HDPE: High Density Polyethylene.
Commonly used in milk jugs, detergent and shampoo bottles.
#3 V: Polyvinyl Chloride.
Commonly used in film for meat packaging and some rigid plastic containers.
#4 LDPE: Low Density Polyethylene.
Commonly used in newspaper and grocery bags and butter cups lids.
#5 PP: Polypropylene.
Commonly used in yogurt containers and deli trays.
#6 PS: Polystyrene.
Commonly used in plastic cups and plates and to-go containers.
#7 OTHER: Other mixed resins.
Commonly used in mixed plastic containers or plastic products.
My local recyclers take only #1 and 2. Perhaps the options are greater in larger towns…?
Mark asks…
I have old plastic (containers, bottles) to recycle, w/ no triangular recycling symbol. Can they be recycled?
Serious answers please.
I found old unusable dirty plastic bottles and containers at my mom’s when we were packing, when she was moving. I brought a bunch home. I sorted through them today and noticed they don’t have the triangular recycling symbol. I am afraid to put them in the regular recycling because I am sure that when they get them for recycling they will throw them out and I don’t want that to happen. They are old, so probably no recycling symbol back then. Everything is recyclable, I just have to find the right recycling program. Are there any out there?
Reuse – yuck, no, they are disgusting. Landfill – I hope I won’t have to. But reprocessed? What’s that exactly?
Technically it can be done… but you’re telling me to throw it out? If it technically can be done, it can be done. So how can it be done? What should I do? I would be willing to go through whatever I have to to recycle them and keep out of already overflowing, expanding and multiplying landfills.
No one here gets out alive: Yeah, that is what I also was going to do, check with my city if they know of recycling facilities around here, or close by, or if they take this stuff themselves.
Karen: Thanks! Yeah, a lot more people should put in the effort in checking if certain things can be recycled, etc. So many people would not care and toss it in the trash – our landfills and planet have enough of trash.
The Expert answers:
I have come across these bottles from time to time. They have expanded the numbers they allow to be recycled, so, I put mine in with the recycle hoping they are able to work with it! I think some of us put a lot more time into thinking how to recycle correctly than others. I do wish more people cared about recycling and doing it right. I commend you my friend. Keep up the good work!
P.s. Some people get paid to take out all the random junk that goes into recycle~ they are probably thanking all our indecision and hoping we are erring on the safe side!!!
Helen asks…
why is there no recycling symbol on tin cans? can tin cans still be added to the recycling bins?
The Expert answers:
Yeah some can does not have recycle symbol. Like coca cola, lemonade tins can not be thrown in to recyclable trash. Might be because that contains little bit amount of food. I wish we could wash them dry them and put it into recycle trash.
Ruth asks…
Anyone know what the heat setting symbol is on a Luxaire heat pump?
Flatting at the moment and we have a Luxaire heatpump , We have a remote and we are unsure of what symbols represent what functions. There is a Icicle, Sun , Droplet , Recycling symbol and a fan one. It may seem semi obvious but some of the things seem to not represent what you would think! We just need to know the basic heat setting 🙂
The Expert answers:
The sun icon.
Richard asks…
What is the “K” symbol printed on food packaging mean?
I just tossed the paper/cardboard outerwrap of a package of yogurt into the recycling bin. On further inspection I noticed it didn’t have a recycling symbol, but a “K” instead. Does that mean it can’t be recycled. And if not, is it because of the ink coverage?
The Expert answers:
It means “Kosher,” that is, the contents conform to the Jewish dietary laws. On a yogurt package, that would generally mean there were no meat products (even gelatin) used in the yogurt, only dairy.
Hope that helps.
Laura asks…
Does anyone know why a recycling center will not accept plastic bottles without the label?
Hi-Does anyone know why the label on the plastic bottles must remain on the bottle? The recycle symbol is generally imprinted (for lack of better word) or stamped onto the bottle itself. The person said he did not accept bottles without labels and proceeded to separate them from the others. What happens to these naked bottles? Are they tossed or do they get thrown in with the rest of regular pile to be sent to the same place? Has this always been the requirements. If so, why?
The Expert answers:
Only thing that would come to mind is that they may have had an incident at that recycler with some container being brought in that had a hazardous substance in it and by requiring that all the containers have a label they may feel safer that it won’t happen again. But this is a guess I truly do not know and I have volunteered many times at different recycling facilities.
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