Am I Recyclable? Don't Trust The Triangles!

When Recycling Plastics: Don't Trust The Triangles!

The only plastic items that are accepted in your curbside recycling bin are bottles, cups & containers. This excludes Styrofoam, prescription medicine bottles and motor oil bottles.

Lids and labels should be left on recyclable bottles, cups, and containers. All containers should be empty and rinsed before recycling.

Here is a full breakdown of acceptable curbside recycling materials.

Plastic bottles, cups and containers are accepted for recycling regardless of their triangle or number code.

If your plastic is not a bottle, cup or container – it does not belong in your curbside recycling container.

The recycling triangle can be a little misleading. The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) implemented the labeling system in 1988 to help recyclers identify the different types of plastic when sorting. The numbers in the triangle indicate the grade of plastic – it is the resin ID code. It does NOT determine whether that plastic is accepted for recycling.

Whether an item is recyclable or not depends on many factors, such as the geographic location of recycling centers and recycling mills, the products that recycling mills are making with recycled material, the size and shape of an item and the material type. Don’t trust the triangles – always check your local recycling program for the answers!