I’m a terrible environmentalist for saying this — I’ve never even considered recycling something as inane as my plastic toothbrush. It’s ironic, considering that, like every other “dedicated” recycler in the world, I carefully unhinge and break down used cereal boxes, and decapitate every yogurt container for the sake of curbside recycling continuity. I even save all plastic lids in the hope that some day I’ll find a place for them.
But the truth is… Recycling, like all other facts of life, is a bit more complicated than it appears. Take the simple (stupid, unnecessary, wasteful) water bottle, as an example. The top can’t be recycled with the bottom. Same with the common plastic yogurt container (hence the decapitation), and the spray bottle, and the list goes on and on. What about Styrofoam, a common take-out container, which is completely shunned from the weekly curbside pickup?
My first conclusion was this: With so many darn containers and so little recycling sensibility, what’s a recycler to do? But, when it comes to hard facts of life, one usually benefits from a little research – so I put that to the test. Ultimately, I came up with a few ways that you (and me) can become better recyclers and wipe our consciences free of any past environmental crimes we may have committed. But I also found some disconcerting truths – such as the fact that some plastic lids have seemingly no home in the recycling world.
What you can recycle, if you find the right place:
Styrofoam – search earth911.com and you should be able to find a center for styrofoam recycling in your city.
#5 plastic – go to Preserve.com to search for a drop-off location, or to learn how you can send your #5 plastics directly to them.
Toothbrush/razor handles — Send these directly to Preserve by printing out a pre-paid mailing label.
Water filters — send or drop off by searching here.
Bottle caps — Ones “that twist on with a threaded neck such as caps on shampoo, water, soda, milk and other beverage bottles, flip top caps on tubes and food product bottles (such as ketchup and mayonnaise), laundry detergents and some jar lids such as peanut butter” These can be sent to Aveda to be used for new containers.
What you can’t, seemingly, recycle:
#6 Plastic Traveler lids – I came to a dead end with this type of plastic lid, despite the fact that it has a #6 recyclable decal. The comments section below is open to anyone who knows how (and where) these can be recycled.
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