Recycle Utah - Plastics Park City | Empower people to lead sustainable lives.

Plastics

Recycle Utah collects all plastics in our plastics tent. Plastics must be rinsed, crushed, caps removed and sorted into the correct locations. There is a bin for plastic caps as well and the plastic bags go right inside our office door.

How to sort plastic

All plastic must be rinsed and squashed with the cap removed, so start there. Things like peanut butter can be removed by letting containers soak in the sink, sticky things like oil, honey, chocolate sauce and laundry detergent should be left upside down for a while to get the last drops out.

The next step is to look for the number in the recycling symbol. This is usually on the bottom of containers, but may also be on the label.

If the number is a #1, you're done - it goes in the first bag. hese will generally be transparent soda, water and juice bottles and some square containers like those that berries come in. Number 1 plastic may also be colored.

If the number is a #2, you need to decide if it's fogged/opaque or if it's a solid color. Hold it up to a light bulb and look through it. If the light comes through, it's fogged and goes into the #2 bag. These will generally be gallon and half gallon milk jugs, gallon or larger water bottles and a few juice bottles.

If your plastic is a solid color #2 (white, yellow, orange, green, blue, red, black, and so on) or if it's any other number from #3 through #7, or it doesn't have a number (like some packaging material, for example) then it goes into the mixed plastic bag. There are a few types of plastic material that are not recyclable, see below.

The only exception where numbers do not indicate a recyclable plastic is when you see the number 6 on the bottom of a Styrofoam tray. Styrofoam trays are not recyclable anywhere at our center and they never go away. The only solution to these trays is avoid them like you would a rabid skunk.

Once your plastic is sorted, your caps go into the cap bin, your plastic bags go inside the office and you go home with a good feeling.

What does not go in?

any food, any liquid (except a little water from rinsing)
plastic bags - these are collected inside our main office
Styrofoam - Styrofoam trays are not recyclable. Styrofoam peanuts are collected inside the office.
metal - Metal clips, caps, screws and pieces are not recyclable with plastics. If they can't be removed, the plastic can't be recycled. This includes pumps with springs inside.
rubber - Same as metal, remove it before recycling.
acrylics - these are very hard, clear 'plastics' like Plexiglas, CD and cassette jewel cases and heavy drinking cups or jugs

What not to worry about?

Don't be afraid to come into our office and ask if you're not sure if something is recyclable. New plastics are being developed all the time and we are here to find out where and how they can be recycled. We like to say Hi and lend a hand whenever possible.

Where does it go?

All plastic is baled on site. Completed #1 and #2 bales are shipped to a recycling broker in Salt Lake. There they are broken down and remade into larger bales for shipping to recycling locations.

Caps are also shipped to a recycler.

Completed #3-7 bales are shipped to a recycling broker in Salt Lake City, sorted out further, baled and shipped to China and/or shredded and turned into garden products such as Recycle Utah Karma Stones -- stepping stones.