W
ithin the last few months, you may have seen
stories in the news concerning changes in the
recycling industry. Many municipalities are
transitioning towards being more selective
regarding the items recycled, only accepting
#1 and #2 plastics. Recycling is a business that follows the typical
supply and demand pattern. Demand for different materials
changes, so recycling companies generally want to recycle
plastics and other materials that can be easily processed, sold,
and are in high demand. Glass, for example, is currently not in
high demand, causing recycling companies to steer away from
accepting glass items in the recycling bins. It also frequently
shatters while being transported, which contaminates the
load. Plastics grouped in #3 through #7 are more difficult
and expensive to process, which make them less desirable to
recycling facilities. Furthermore, food particles and residue
left on recycled items can cause contamination, meaning that
none of the items in that particular batch can be processed and
recycled. A rogue #4 plastic or a #2 plastic that has food residue
in a batch of thousands of pounds of clean #1 and #2 plastics can
contaminate the entire recycling stream, sentencing that batch
to a life in the landfill.