How to Recycle Properly

Towns and cities all recycle a little bit differently, and we know it can be confusing. We’re going to help you make sense of how to recycle the right way!

Many recyclable goods are identified with a recycling number.

The number tells people what the containers are made from. You can find this number on the containers themselves, typically within the recycling symbols.

The numbers are:

1 - PETE (Polyethylene Terephthalate): This is what soft drink bottles, food containers are made out of. It’s generally recyclable.

2 - HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene): This is what milk jugs and other containers are made from. It’s generally recyclable.

3 - PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride): This is a harder plastic, generally made for pipes and sturdy equipment. It’s generally not a curbside recyclable, but some facilities may accept it.

4 - LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene): This is used for bags, bottles and some food containers. It’s generally not a curbside recyclable.

5 - PP (Polypropylene): This is a material many food containers are made from. It’s generally curbside recyclable, but check!

6 - PS (Polystyrene): This is what those white, disposable cups and food containers are made from. It’s usually not a curbside recyclable.

7 - Other plastics: these plastics are not generally recyclable.

Learn your local recycling guidelines.

Each and every town has different recycling guidelines. But don’t worry, it really isn’t hard to find yours! We recommend searching for [your town name] recycling guidelines. Generally, the town website provides guidelines for you to follow. Often, they include a pickup calendar, too.

Some towns and cities have single-stream recycling. Some don’t.

If your town or city has single-stream recycling, it means you can throw paper, glass and plastics into a single recycling bin. The materials are brought to a sort facility, which will sort the recyclables by type.

If your town or city requires goods to be separated before recycling, you may need to separate paper, glass and plastic.

When in doubt, throw it out!

The more non-recyclable goods are mixed with recyclable goods, the less likely the batch (as a whole) can be properly recycled. If you have doubts about what you have in your hand, you’re better off to place it in your standard garbage stream.

Wait – what about those pizza boxes?

It depends! Some cities take pizza boxes if they aren’t particularly greasy, while others request you refrain from recycling the cardboard. Please check your town’s website or, when in doubt - throw it out!