What gets recycled?

There is a misconception we all have, that if we place an object in the recycling bin then it has to get recycled. We believe that by simply placing an object in the correct bin, it is ensured that we are helping the planet, but that is not entirely true. There are many things about recycling that we don't know and that effects the journey of our waste. For starters, dirty plastics can't be recycled.

Dirty Plastics:

Dirty plastics are plastics that have leftover food, water or dirt on them. When plastic is considered 'dirty' it is no longer recyclable. This is due to the fact that it would take too much time for waste management to clean and properly dispose of dirty plastic. Since the plastic is no longer recyclable it is considered trash, but unfortunately, plastic cannot be handled the same way trash can and so this starts a whole new set of problems.

Plastic Bottles:

Generally, plastic bottles are made out PET 1 (see my understanding plastics tab for plastic distinction) while the plastic caps are made out of PET 5. These two plastics have different chemical components and so they have to processed and treated differently. However, it takes too much time to remove the cap and plastic ring from every bottle in sanitation and so waste management has to let this slide and try to handle the bottle as a whole.