What Types of Plastic Cannot Be Recycled? Find Out Now
We all do it. We toss our plastic containers into the recycling bin, feeling good that we’ve done our part for the planet. But here's a tough pill to swallow: just because you put something in the bin doesn't mean it actually gets recycled.
That little triangle with a number on the bottom of a plastic item? It’s more of an identification code than a guarantee of recyclability. It tells you what kind of plastic it is, not whether your local facility can actually do anything with it.
The Hidden Problem With Plastic Recycling
Imagine a recycling facility is like a busy kitchen. The sorters and machines are trying to follow a specific recipe, but they keep getting ingredients that don't belong—a bit of spoiled food here, a random non-edible item there. A few wrong ingredients can ruin the entire batch. That's exactly what happens when the wrong kinds of plastic enter the recycling stream.
The idea that all plastics are created equal and can be infinitely recycled is a convenient myth, but the reality on the ground is far messier. There are some very real, systemic reasons why so much of our plastic waste never sees a second life.
Why So Much Plastic Ends Up in Landfills
To understand which plastics can't be recycled, you first have to grasp the hurdles the system faces. It really boils down to three major roadblocks:
- Contamination: It’s the number one killer of recycling batches. A half-empty bottle of ketchup or a greasy takeout container can ruin an entire bale of perfectly good plastics, sending the whole lot straight to the landfill. Everything needs to be empty, clean, and dry.
- Economic Realities: Let's be honest, it's a business. It’s often cheaper and easier for companies to make brand-new virgin plastic from fossil fuels than it is to buy and process recycled materials. When there's no strong market demand for recycled plastic, the financial incentive to recycle it just isn't there.
- Technical Limitations: Not all recycling plants are built the same. Most are only set up to handle the most common and profitable plastics, like #1 PET (water bottles) and #2 HDPE (milk jugs). The rest—from flimsy films to complex multi-layered plastics—are often beyond their technical capabilities.
"The historical context reveals a challenging truth: for decades, the fossil fuel industry promoted recycling to sell more plastic, creating a public perception that doesn't align with our actual recycling capabilities."
This promotion worked. Global plastic consumption has quadrupled in the last 30 years, yet our ability to deal with the waste hasn't kept up. Shockingly, in the U.S., less than 5% of plastic waste is actually recycled into new products. You can read more about the history of plastic recycling on Earthday.org.
This gap between what we think is recyclable and what actually is recyclable is why knowing which plastics to avoid is so important.
Breaking Down the 7 Plastic Recycling Codes
Ever feel like you need a secret decoder ring to figure out recycling? You're not alone. The good news is, the key is usually stamped right on the bottom of the container. Those little numbers inside the chasing arrows symbol are called Resin Identification Codes (RICs), and they tell you exactly what kind of plastic you’re dealing with.
Think of them as a "plastic ingredient list." Knowing what these codes mean is the first step to understanding which plastics your local program can actually handle and which ones, unfortunately, are destined for the landfill. While plastics #1 and #2 are the rockstars of recycling and are accepted almost everywhere, the others get much trickier.
For instance, many recycling facilities automatically reject #6 Polystyrene (what we all know as Styrofoam). It's incredibly lightweight, easily contaminated with food, and breaks into a million tiny pieces, making it a nightmare to process.
As you can see, those familiar foam cups and takeout containers are everywhere, but their final destination is almost always a landfill or, worse, the environment.
Plastic Resin Codes At a Glance
To make things simpler, here’s a quick reference table. It’s designed to help you quickly identify the plastics you use every day and get a general idea of whether they belong in your recycling bin.
| Resin Code | Plastic Name | Common Examples | Typical Recyclability |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 PET | Polyethylene Terephthalate | Water bottles, soda bottles, peanut butter jars | ✅ Widely Recycled |
| #2 HDPE | High-Density Polyethylene | Milk jugs, shampoo bottles, detergent jugs | ✅ Widely Recycled |
| #3 PVC | Polyvinyl Chloride | Pipes, vinyl siding, some food packaging | ❌ Rarely Recycled |
| #4 LDPE | Low-Density Polyethylene | Plastic bags, squeezable bottles, food wrap | 🟡 Sometimes Recycled (Store Drop-off) |
| #5 PP | Polypropylene | Yogurt tubs, bottle caps, medicine bottles | 🟡 Sometimes Recycled |
| #6 PS | Polystyrene (Styrofoam) | Foam cups, takeout containers, egg cartons | ❌ Almost Never Recycled |
| #7 Other | Mixed Plastics | Multi-layer pouches, some water cooler jugs | ❌ Almost Never Recycled |
Just keep in mind that this is a general guide. The most important rule of recycling is to always check your local guidelines, as rules can vary significantly from one town to the next. This table, however, gives you a solid foundation for making more informed choices.
The Plastics That Almost Always Get Tossed
While every type of plastic has its recycling hurdles, a few consistently get left behind. Think of them as the usual suspects in the recycling bin lineup—the ones that, because of their chemistry, cost, or sheer difficulty, almost never get a second life.
Getting to know these problem plastics is the first step in understanding what can't go in your curbside bin. Three resin codes are notorious for being rejected at recycling facilities: #3 PVC, #6 PS, and #7 Other. They’re like rogue ingredients that can ruin an entire batch of recycled material.
Number 3 PVC: The Toxic Contaminant
Polyvinyl chloride, better known as #3 PVC, is one of the least recycled plastics out there, and for very good reasons. You'll find it in things like pipes, siding, some clear food wraps, and kids' toys. The core problem? Its high chlorine content.
When you heat PVC during the recycling process, it can release toxic hydrochloric acid. This stuff is not only dangerous but also highly corrosive, capable of destroying expensive recycling machinery. Worse, it can contaminate entire batches of more valuable plastics, like PET. It’s a risk most facilities simply won't take, so they reject it on sight.
Number 6 PS: The Light-But-Bulky Nuisance
We all know polystyrene (#6 PS), especially in its infamous expanded form: Styrofoam. It's the material of choice for disposable coffee cups, takeout containers, and those foam packaging peanuts. Despite being everywhere, it's a complete nightmare for recyclers.
Here’s why #6 PS is such a headache:
- It’s mostly air: A block of Styrofoam is about 95% air. This makes it incredibly lightweight but also bulky. Imagine filling a whole truck with it—you'd get very little actual plastic material for a whole lot of transport cost. It's just not profitable.
- A contamination magnet: Because it's so porous, it soaks up coffee, grease, and food scraps like a sponge. Cleaning it to the standard required for recycling is next to impossible, and one dirty container can ruin a whole bale of otherwise clean materials.
Our global recycling systems are already under immense pressure. The OECD estimates that only about 9% of plastic waste ever gets recycled, with the vast majority ending up in landfills, incinerators, or our oceans. Problematic materials like polystyrene are a big part of why that number is so low. You can dive deeper into the data on plastic recycling trends over at CleanHub.
Number 7 Other: The Mystery Mix
Finally, we have the catch-all category: #7 Other. This code is basically a label for any plastic that doesn't fit into the first six categories. It’s a real grab bag, covering everything from tough polycarbonate plastics used in water cooler jugs to bio-plastics and complex, multi-layered packaging.
The biggest challenge with #7 plastics is their sheer unpredictability. A recycling facility has no way of knowing what’s actually in the mix. For instance, those squeezable baby food pouches or shiny chip bags are often made of multiple layers of different plastics—and sometimes a thin layer of aluminum—fused together. Right now, we just don't have the technology to separate those layers, which makes the whole package unrecyclable.
It’s More Than Just the Number: When Good Plastics Go Bad
Sometimes, you can do everything right—check the little number on the bottom, rinse the container—and still, your plastic ends up in the landfill. It’s a frustrating reality, but the resin code is only part of the story. The product's shape, color, and size can be just as important, often turning a technically recyclable material into a recycling facility’s worst nightmare.
Think of a recycling plant's sorting line as a fast-moving highway. Sturdy bottles and jugs merge and flow smoothly. But then you get the "problem vehicles"—items that cause pile-ups, shut down lanes, and bring the whole system to a grinding halt. This is exactly why many common plastic items get rejected, even if they're made from valuable #1 PET or #2 HDPE plastic.
The Usual Suspects of Recycling Contamination
A few types of products are notorious for disrupting the recycling process. Knowing what they are is the first step to keeping them out of your blue bin and avoiding costly problems for recycling facilities.
- Plastic Films and Bags: These are the single biggest culprits for machinery jams. That flimsy grocery bag, bread bag, or sheet of plastic wrap might seem harmless, but they get tangled in the sorting gears like hair in a vacuum cleaner, forcing a complete shutdown for manual removal.
- Black Plastic: Most modern recycling centers rely on optical scanners that use infrared light to identify plastic types. The carbon black pigment used to color black plastic acts like a stealth cloak, absorbing the light and making the item invisible to the sorters. It passes through undetected and ends up in the trash pile.
- Tiny Plastics: Anything smaller than a credit card is simply too small for the sorting machinery to handle. Items like bottle caps, straws, and single-serve coffee pods literally fall through the cracks and get swept away with all the other non-recyclable debris.
It takes just one plastic bag getting tangled in the works to contaminate an entire bale of otherwise perfect recyclables. When that happens, the facility has two choices: pay for expensive manual sorting or just send the whole contaminated batch straight to the landfill.
The good news is you can help. Many grocery stores have special drop-off bins for plastic bags and films. You can also make a difference by opting for products in lighter-colored packaging and, when possible, screwing the caps back onto empty bottles before tossing them in the bin—this helps keep the small cap paired with a larger item the machines can actually see.
Choosing Better Alternatives to Problem Plastics
It's easy to feel a bit overwhelmed by all this, but don't let it get you down. This is where you can start making a real difference. The single best way to fight back against plastic waste is simply to use less of it, especially the tricky types we've been talking about. Think of it this way: every time you choose a product at the store, you're casting a vote for the kind of packaging you want to see in the world.
Instead of grabbing that styrofoam takeout box, what if you brought your own glass or stainless steel container? When you're stocking the pantry, make a point to look for foods packaged in materials that actually get recycled, like aluminum cans or glass jars. These might seem like small changes, but when thousands of us start doing it, manufacturers have no choice but to listen.
Smart Swaps and Proper Disposal
Making an impact doesn't require a complete life overhaul. It starts with a few conscious decisions. We're aiming for progress, not perfection.
- Go for Reusables: Get in the habit of carrying a reusable water bottle and coffee cup. Tucking a set of reusable cutlery in your bag for lunch on the go is another simple win.
- Pick Better Packaging: Whenever you have the option, reach for products in glass, metal, or paper. If you're curious about what else is out there, you can explore some of the best eco-friendly materials for packaging.
- Buy in Bulk: You can cut out packaging almost entirely by buying things like grains, nuts, and spices from bulk bins and using your own containers.
So, what do you do with those plastics that are just impossible to avoid? Here’s the golden rule you need to remember: when in doubt, throw it out.
Tossing something into the recycling bin just hoping it's recyclable is a practice known as "wish-cycling." It feels good in the moment, but it can contaminate an entire batch of valuable materials, forcing the whole truckload to be landfilled.
It's far better for one non-recyclable item to go to the trash than for it to ruin the integrity of the whole recycling stream. When you're truly not sure, check the website for your local waste management service—they are the final authority on what their facility can handle.
Common Questions About Plastic Recycling
Even for the most committed recyclers, the rules can feel a bit murky. Let's clear up some of the common questions that come up when you're standing over the bin, so you can sort your plastics with confidence.
Are Compostable or Bioplastic Items Recyclable?
This is a huge point of confusion, and the answer is a firm no, they are not recyclable. Bioplastics are made to break down, but only in the very specific, high-heat environment of an industrial composting facility. They aren't designed to be melted down and reformed like traditional plastics such as PET or HDPE.
Think of it like trying to recycle a paper cup by tossing it into a vat of melting glass—the paper would just incinerate and contaminate the entire batch. When compostable plastics end up in the recycling stream, they do the same thing, often causing the whole load to be rejected and sent to the landfill. Unless you have access to a dedicated industrial composting program, these items belong in the trash.
Should I Leave Caps on Plastic Bottles?
The guidance on this has definitely evolved over the years, but today, most recycling programs want you to leave the caps on. It used to be that the small caps would slip through the sorting machinery and end up as waste.
Fortunately, recycling technology has gotten much better. Now, the standard practice is to empty the bottle, give it a quick squish to get the air out, and then screw the cap back on tightly. This keeps the bottle and cap together, ensuring both get recycled. Still, this can vary by location, so a quick search for your local city's recycling rules is always a good idea.
The most important thing to remember is that recycling rules aren't one-size-fits-all. What your local facility can handle depends entirely on their equipment and processes, which is why checking their specific guidelines is the best way to avoid wish-cycling.
How Clean Do My Recyclables Need to Be?
You don't need to get them spotless, but they do need to be clean enough to prevent contaminating the rest of the bin. The golden rule here is "empty, clean, and dry."
A quick rinse to get the last bits of yogurt or ketchup out of a container is typically all it takes. Significant food residue, grease, and liquids are the real enemies—they can grow mold, attract pests, and ruin entire bales of paper and cardboard that are sorted in the same facility. Taking a few seconds to rinse your containers makes a massive difference in the quality of recycled materials.
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