What Your Business Needs To Know About Plastic Recycling

2 April 2015 by Marvin Carroll

If you're like most businesses in Canada, you're looking for ways to reduce the waste that your company generates. It's not only good for the planet, but it can even help attract new customers as consumers increasingly look for ways to support businesses with "green" initiatives.

One good, and relatively easy, way to do this is to recycle the plastic bottles and other plastic items you use. However, unlike cardboard or glass recycling, not all plastics are treated the same way, and not all are accepted by most recycling locations. The type of plastic is designated by a number from one to seven, which is usually stamped on the side of the item. It's important to keep the types of plastics sorted by this number.

Types of recyclable plastics

1. Number one plastics. These are also called polyethylene terephthalate or PETE plastics. They include two-liter drink bottles, water bottles and other plastic food packaging. This type of plastic is usually recyclable from curbside or regular commercial pickup.

2. Number two plastics. These are high-density polyethylene or HEPE plastics and include things like plastic garbage bags, milk bottles, shampoo bottles and household cleaner containers. These, too, are usually collected at curbside or other regular recycling pickup.

3. Number three plastics. Number three plastics are vinyl or PVC plastics. These include things like plumbing pipes, detergent bottles and building siding, and are rarely recycled.

4. Number four plastics. These are low-density polyethylene or LDPE plastics. Some communities and trash collection companies accept these plastics, but many do not. LDPE plastics include plastic grocery bags, dry cleaning bags, bread bags and squeezable bottles.

5. Number five plastics. Most companies and recycling locations accept number five plastics, also called polypropylenes. These include drinking straws, medicine bottles and plastic caps.

6. Number six plastics. Items in this category of plastics, also called polystyrenes, didn't use to be readily recyclable. Today, however, must are. These items include plastic to-go containers, egg cartons and meat package liners.

7. Number seven plastics. A final designation you may see is number seven. This is a catch-all for any type of plastic that doesn't fall into one of the other six categories. Some things you might find in this category include sunglasses, large water bottles for office water dispensers, DVDs and CDs, signs and "bullet-proof" materials.

Recycling your plastics isn't an impossible feat. You just need to educate yourself and your staff to which kinds of plastics can be recycled and which need special handling. For further information, contact professional disposal specialists, such as those from Quik Pick Waste Disposal.

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