[GreenYes] plastics recycling

[melissa terry <melissaterry@yahoo.com>]

the real question is...how can we effectively lobby
the plastics industry to ammend their code system? 

for example, in our community we only have a market
for #1 and #2 blow-molded plastics. that means that
all those injection molded #2's like yogurt,
cottage-cheese and cool whip containers are not
recyclable for our residents. you can only imagine how
tricky this is to explain to our community --
recycling education should not require a degree in
chemical engineering!  

so, even though the blow-molded and injection-molded
#2's start with the same hdpe resin stock, their
different manufacturing processes make them unsuitable
for co-mingled collection. 

and, i have residents call me all the time fired up
because our recycling route workers left their
styrofoam whichit in their recycling bin -- after all,
it has those three arrows on the bottom of the
container. 

i think this question has hit a sore point with
recyclers and i would personally support a national
campaign to lean on the plastics industry to clarify
thier coding system. 

just another 2 cents worth!

sincerely,
melissa terry
sustainable environment educator
city of fayetteville
fayetteville, ar


--- "Edna J. Glenn" <techsvcs@u.washington.edu> wrote:
> Thanks for your reply re: the unhopeful prospects
> for recycling #3 and
> other plastics.  I figured as much, and for several
> years now have been
> avoiding altogether purchasing anything packaged in
> #3; instead I refill
> the same shampoo bottle, dish detergent bottle at my
> local Puget Consumers
> Co-op.
> 
> However, I do have a garage full of plastic lids
> [typically #4] from
> yogurt, cottage cheese, margerine, ice cream
> containers.  I will continue
> to collect these for some future recycling
> opportunity, perhaps ultimately
> resorting to starting my own frisbee company in my
> dotage [just kidding].
> 
> What a conundrum manufacturers present to those of
> us who can see beyond
> the next ten minutes of consumption.  Heaven help us
> all, each and every
> one.
> 
> Best regards,
> Edna Glenn
> Seattle, WA  USA
> 
> > Terri S. wrote: Finding a place to recycle
> plastics #3 is pretty
> > unlikely - that's the PVC stuff we'd just rather
> they didn't use at
> > all...
> 
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