Rinse and remove the lids before recycling. Plastic items are segregated according to the type of resin they are made from. All recyclable plastic containers have a resin code that is a number one through seven surrounded by chasing arrows. The purpose of the resin code is to identify the resin type, not to indicate that the container is recyclable. Do not assume that the presence of the resin code means you can recycle the container because in reality, most programs can only accept a few types of plastic.
Most programs let people throw both types of bottles in the same bin.
Be sure to remove lids, then rinse and flatten the bottles so more may fit in the bin. When shopping, you may want to consider that the plastic food and beverage containers that are most often recycled are made from virgin resin, a petroleum product. Although the plastics industry is looking for ways to use recycled plastic in food and beverage containers, there is little incentive as long as crude oil prices remain low. High demand for virgin plastic resin products by consumers only increases our nation s dependence on petroleum production and all its attendant environmental, economic, and social woes. Aluminum or glass containers might be better choices for purchase.