Many 'recycled' items go to a landfill instead; here's how to improve your recycling efforts, particularly involving plastics

Consumers who pay attention to recycling details can help their local program succeed.
(Photo by A.V. Loarca, Newsday RM, Getty Images via The Conversation)

Sometimes items Americans toss into recycling cans get a second life, but all too often, they end up in the landfill. In his column for The Conversation, Alex Jordan, an associate professor of Plastics Engineering at the University of Wisconsin, explains how single-stream recycling works, gives examples of which items work best for recycling, and details what U.S. consumers can do to improve their recycling habits. He includes a handy video that illustrates the single-stream recycling process from start to finish.

Single-stream recycling means that consumers can put all their recyclable items in one bin for pick up, which are taken to a facility that sorts and divides the items. "While single-stream recycling is convenient, it has downsides," Jordan explains. "Contamination, such as food residue, plastic bags and items that can’t be recycled, can degrade the quality of the remaining material, making it more difficult to reuse. That lowers its value."

While every recycling program has its own rules, there are some fairly universal guides regarding what can be recycled, which means many items tossed into recycling bins will never be repurposed. "A large percentage of material never gets a second life," Jordan notes. "Reports in recent years have found 15% to 25% of all the materials picked up from recycling bins end up in landfills instead. Plastics are among the biggest challenges."

Which plastics are recyclable? The recycling code stamp on the plastic next to the recycling icon will let you know. In general, products stamped with symbols 3, 4 or six are not recyclable. Jordan adds, "That leaves three plastics that can be recycled in many facilities." Those include:

• Symbol 1 – Soda bottles are often made of Polyethylene terephthalate or PET.
• Symbol 2 – This plastic, known as high-density polyethylene, or HDPE, is found in most milk jugs and laundry detergent bottles,
• Symbol 5 – Polypropylene, PP, is used in products such as pill bottles, yogurt cups and plastic utensils.

Researchers are working on ways to make "recycled materials more versatile and valuable and move products closer to a goal of a circular economy without waste," Jordan explains. "However, improving recycling also requires better recycling habits. Consumers can help the recycling process by: 

• Taking a few minutes to wash off food waste.
• Avoiding putting plastic bags in your recycling bin.
• Paying attention to what can and cannot be recycled in your area.

A single-stream recycling system. (Van Dyk Recycling Solutions video via The Conversation)