Recycling Works

Did you know that there are 7 different types of common household plastics? Each variety of plastic is unique in its own way, and often requires special separation processes to reclaim the recycled plastics. Let’s take a look at one of these types of plastics:

Plastic #7: Other

Plastic #7 refers to a large group of plastics. This group contains numerous types of plastics that do not fit into the other 6 categories of plastics. These plastics can be anything, such as sunglasses, clear cutlery, and even CDs/DVDs. The most important thing to keep in mind regarding #7 plastics is that they are not typically recyclable.

Check with your local recycling plant before tossing #7 plastics.

Did you know that there are 7 different types of common household plastics? Each variety of plastic is unique in its own way, and often requires special separation processes to reclaim the recycled plastics. Let’s take a look at one of these types of plastics:

Plastic #6: Polystyrene (PS or Styrofoam)

Styrofoam is a difficult plastic. It is rigid to a point, and insulates very well. Additionally, it is very light and provides some cushion from impact. Similar to PVC, Polystyrene is considered to be rather dangerous. It can potentially leach harmful toxins, like styrene, into foods, which can cause serious health issues when ingested. Luckily modern to-go containers are treated to prevent leaching.

Styrofoam is not often accepted in recycling programs. Reclaiming Styrofoam is an incredibly difficult process that many recyclers do not undertake. Before recycling Styrofoam it’s incredibly important to check with your local recycling plant to verify if it is accepted.

Did you know that there are 7 different types of common household plastics? Each variety of plastic is unique in its own way, and often requires special separation processes to reclaim the recycled plastics. Let’s take a look at one of these types of plastics:

Plastic #3: Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC or Vinyl)

Plastic #3 is a hard and resistant plastic, often desired for building and construction applications. PVC is also commonly utilized in technological applications as well, such as for wires and cables. Despite its wide range of uses, PVC can be incredibly dangerous, as it’s known to leach toxins (ex: lead, vinyl chloride, etc).

When it comes to PVC, always check with your local recycling center to see if they’re able to process this kind of plastic. Reclaimed Polyvinyl Chloride can be remade into PVC piping or housing siding.