Happy America Recycles Day! Plastic accounts for about 12% of the trash that Americans throw away each year and it’s growing fast. Plastic recycling rates are far below rates for paper, glass, and aluminum. The good news is that several recycling haulers in the Twin Cities Metro Area have announced plans to collect additional types of plastic in their curbside programs beginning as early as January 2012. More information will be coming soon. In the meantime, here are some ideas and tips to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastic.
Reduce, reuse…
Skip the bags. Bring your own reusable shopping bag and skip the bag altogether for small purchases. Use produce bags sparingly.
Select products with less packaging. Choose products packaged simply, with no packaging or with a single reusable or recyclable material.
Buy in Bulk. Reduce plastic waste by choosing the largest container for items with a long shelf-life like vinegar, kitty litter, shampoo, laundry detergent, etc.
Refill your bottle. Use products that can be refilled such as Restore’s laundry detergent, dish soap, and hand soap. Retail stores throughout Minnesota offer Restore refill stations.
Reuse your empty pill bottles. Donate clean, label-free pill bottles to your veterinary office or local humane society. This helps them save money and provide free samples and pet medication.
Donate discards to art programs. Check with your local school or scout program to see if they accept plastic items for art projects. Artstart, a creative materials reuse store in St. Paul, accepts many materials for art projects including unused plastic bottles and other plastic containers.
Buy products made out of recycled materials. Close the loop by looking for and purchasing products with labels that say they contain post-consumer material.
Note, reusing plastic bottles for drinking water is not recommended. It increases the likelihood of impurities such as bacteria and the potential leaching of plastic compounds into the water.
From Living Green 365 Newsletter
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