Plastics Are Confusing

If you sometimes look at the pile of empty plastic bottles, packaging, shampoo containers and milk cartons in your kitchen and wonder what to do with them, you’re not alone. According to a recent survey by the BBC, almost 50% of us regularly disagree with our partners/children/neighbours about which plastics can be recycled.

There are over 40,000 different types of plastic – some recyclable, some that need special treatment before being recycled and some that might be able to be recycled one day – and although this has been whittled down to seven categories, recycling plastics is still very confusing.

“Identifying which plastics can be recycled can be difficult,” admits Mark Hall, spokesperson for recycling and waste disposal specialists DIVERT.CO.UK. “However, most plastics can be recycled – although certain products, such as polystyrene and plastic bags, are nearly impossible to recycle.”

If you don’t know which bin a plastic item should go into, and there’s no sign of a recycling symbol, check if there’s a number stamped onto it. Most plastics fall into category 1 or 2, which can be recycled. If it can’t be recycled, or you’re still unsure, throw it in the general waste bin or, in the case of plastic bags and plastic film or wrapping, dispose of at a supermarket collection point.