Why Plastic Caps and Lids Are Not Easily Recyclable

Plastic and metal lids and caps are not recyclable and should be deposited with the generic trash for disposal.

Did you know that plastic caps and lids and metal caps and lids cannot be recycled along with the containers? It would seem plastic is plastic but that is not the case. Caps and lids are made of a harder plastic composite and when mixed with the plastic from containers there is a cross contamination creating a substance that can not be turned into a new safe product easily.

Plastic containers are often bundled together, compacted and sent to the recycling plant in large bales. If the containers have lids on them, they are apt to burst and explode causing a hazardous situation for workers. Be sure to take the lids and caps off all containers.

Lids of various sizes can also cause a problem with sorting equipment. Small lids can jam sorting equipment and cause a serious hazard to sanitation workers. Dairy lids due to their size and weight are often mistakenly routed to the paper and cardboard areas where they can cause cross contamination.

There is an exception to this rule. Plastic caps and lids can be saved separately and submitted for recycling in some areas. Large quantities are saved and recycled in some areas. Often school groups, children and philanthropic groups enjoy this service and might make money for a charitable cause while doing a great service for their community.

When there is not a local program available to accept plastic caps and lids, they should be discarded along with the generic trash. Another alternative is to save some assorted sizes of lids for projects around the home.

Metal caps and lids can also be problematic and should not just be thrown in the recycle bin haphazardly. A metal lid can only be recycled if it is still attached to the can. It should be folded inside the can. Lids can also be mistaken and diverted to the paper and cardboard recycling piles and contaminate the piles. Cans should not be crushed as they will be compacted as part of the sorting process.

Metal caps can again cause hazards when being sorted, jam the machines and cause contamination.

One other common question is what to do with the little plastic ring around the neck of the bottle? Go ahead and leave them on the bottle. It is so small it won't cause contamination and it's usually fixed in place so it won't pop off and jam the equipment.

Think about the workers that will be processing the trash you are discarding. Think about the process and recognize it is a hazardous job. Trash does not just magically disappear. Educate the family on how to best recycle, reduce your carbon footprint and possibly save the life of an animal or marine life.

Source:
Thurston County Waste Department