ASK THE RECYCLING COORDINATOR :
Q : I am confused by plastic recycling . Can I still recycle plastics # 1-7 curbside in Millcreek Township ? -Phil L .
A : Many plastics have a small recycling symbol on them with a number inside . This is often misinterpreted to mean that the plastic item is recyclable curbside . However , the numbers indicate the type of plastic resin the product is made of , not that it is recyclable locally . In Millcreek , we need to focus on recycling by plastic shape , not number .
Shapes of plastic that can be recycled include bottles , jugs , jars , and tubs . The plastic number system no longer serves a purpose to the Material Recovery Facility ( MRF ) in Neville Island ( Pittsburgh , PA ) where the curbside Millcreek recyclables are sorted , baled , and sold .
Specifically , PET ( Polyethylene Terephthalate ) plastic bottles are considered blow molded with a process with specific melt temperatures . All PET plastics from the MRFs are sold to companies that are only purchasing bottle grade PET , which are the majority of plastics found within the curbside recycling stream .
The other PET plastics which include clear / black clamshell containers , and the microwave food trays are considered thermoform PET , which is made in sheets and gets molded . It has a different melting temperature than blow mold plastic and is considered a contaminant that is prohibited by the PET bottle purchasers . Unfortunately , the two plastics cannot be mixed because of the manufacturing process and therefore cannot be recycled at this time in our area . Also , black plastic often found in frozen dinner trays is not recyclable . Special laser technology at the MRF sorts one type of plastic from another . The black plastic is difficult for the lasers to identify and sort properly .
Recycling guidelines are specific rules given to us by our local Material Recovery Facility . Each MRF has different equipment and different end-markets for recyclables that are constantly evolving . Recycling is still very important as these single-use plastics can be recycled back into clothing , furniture , and other plastic containers if done so properly at the curbside !
To have your recycling questions answered by Millcreek ’ s Recycling Coordinator , please submit an email to jstutzman @ millcreektownship . com or call the Recycling Department at ( 814 ) 833-1111 ext . 317 .
— Jessica Stutzman ,
Millcreek Township Recycling Coordinator
PLASTICS CAN BE RECYCLED CURBSIDE : ✓ Water / Pop Bottles ✓ Hair & Personal Care Bottles ✓ Milk Jugs ✓ Butter / Yogurt / Sour Cream Tubs ✓ Condiment Bottles ✓ Laundry Detergent Bottles
PLASTICS CAN ’ T BE RECYCLED CURBSIDE : ✗ Disposable Cups ✗ Disposable Cup Lids ✗ Fruit Clamshell Containers ✗ Rigid Plastic Packaging ✗ Trash / Recycle / Grocery Bags ✗ Dry Cleaning Bags & Plastic Wrap ✗ Cereal Box Liners ✗ Plastic Pipes ✗ Straws ✗ Plastic Silverware ✗ Foam Meat Trays ✗ Foam Egg Cartons ✗ CD & DVD Cases ✗ Children ’ s Toys ✗ Plastic Lawn Furniture ✗ Flower Pots ✗ Black Plastic ✗ Styrofoam™ ✗ Small Plastics ( Less than 3 ”) ✗ Flexible Packaging Snack Bags
Millcreek MILLCREEK TOWNSHIP RECYCLING NEWS
MILLCREEK ❘ SUMMER 2021 15