Ethan Clarke
Salt Lake County's recycling program offers a variety of options for residents to recycle their plastic waste. The county accepts a wide range of plastic items, from beverage bottles and food containers to plastic bags and films. The program also includes the recycling of electronic components, automotive parts, and medical devices. Once collected, the plastic waste is sorted and processed at specialized facilities, with some materials being incinerated for energy recovery or sent to landfills. The county is committed to sustainable practices and provides resources for safe waste disposal, including an interactive map to find the nearest recycling center.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic resin codes accepted | #1-7 |
| Plastic resin codes sold to local cement plants | #3/PVC, #6/PS, #7/other |
| Plastic resin codes being looked for viable recycling opportunities | #3, #6, #7 |
| Plastic bags, wraps, and films accepted at retail stores | Smiths, WinCo, Target, Walmart |
| Plastic buyer | Scrapmanagement.com |
| Plastic items recycled | Beverage bottles, plastic water bottles, juice bottles, drink containers, plastic food containers, packaging for cosmetics and household products, food packaging, milk jugs, shampoo and conditioner bottles, household cleaning product containers, plastic bags, plastic chairs and tables, boxes and storage containers, plastic toys, plastic picture frames and mirrors, plastic bowls and dishware, caps and lids for containers, plastic buckets, acrylic windows, displays and lighting, safety goggles and glasses, reusable containers, medical devices and equipment, PC sheets, electronic components, automotive parts |
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What You'll Learn
- Plastic bags, wraps, and films can be recycled at some retail stores
- Plastic with resin codes #3/PVC, #6/PS, and #7/other is incinerated for fuel
- Plastic resin codes #1/PET and #2/HDPE are the most commonly recycled
- Plastic resin codes #3, #6, and #7 are still accepted but harder to recycle
- Plastic can be recycled at the Waste Management Material Recovery Facility (MRF)
Plastic bags, wraps, and films can be recycled at some retail stores
Plastic bags: These include grocery bags, produce bags, and product bags
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Plastic with resin codes #3/PVC, #6/PS, and #7/other is incinerated for fuel
Salt Lake City's curbside recycling service accepts plastic with resin codes #1 through #7. However, it is important to note that the presence of these resin codes does not always indicate recyclability. The recyclability of plastic waste depends on various factors, including demand, market conditions, and the capabilities of the local recycling company.
Plastics with resin codes #3/PVC, #6/PS, and #7/other pose a particular challenge for recycling. In Salt Lake County, these plastics are sold to a local cement plant, where they are incinerated to heat their kiln. This practice, known as burning plastic for fuel, is common in the cement industry, which contributes about 7% of global greenhouse emissions.
The decision to incinerate these plastics for fuel is a complex one. On the one hand, incinerating plastic waste can reduce the use of virgin fossil fuels. However, it also releases toxins and nasty chemicals into the air, contributing to air pollution. Proponents of incineration argue that burning plastic is cleaner than burning coal and that the cement plant has pollution control equipment in place.
PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, is a soft and flexible plastic used in a wide range of household products, such as cling film, hoses, and plastic pipes. It is not typically recyclable through standard local authority collections. PS, or polystyrene, is also challenging to recycle and is often used in disposable coffee cups, packing peanuts, and food containers.
While the incineration of these plastics for fuel may be a temporary solution, it highlights the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling plastics whenever possible. It also underscores the need for more sustainable alternatives to traditional plastics and improved recycling technologies to address the complex environmental challenges posed by plastic waste.
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Plastic resin codes #1/PET and #2/HDPE are the most commonly recycled
Plastic resin codes, also known as Plastic Resin Identification Codes, are numbers (1 through 7) inside a small triangle made of arrows. They are used to identify the type of plastic a product is made from. The presence of a resin code does not necessarily indicate whether a product can be recycled—it is the number inside the triangle that indicates this.
Plastic resin codes #1/PET and #2/HDPE are the most commonly and easily recycled types of plastic.
#1/PET
PET, or polyethylene terephthalate, is the most common plastic for single-use bottled beverages because it is inexpensive, lightweight, and easy to recycle. It is also used to make cooking oil containers, plastic peanut butter jars, and containers for other popular food items. It does not degrade easily during the recycling process and thus has a lower risk of trapping decomposition products that can then leach out. Its recycling rates remain relatively low (around 20%), even though the material is in high demand by manufacturers. PET can be recycled through most curbside recycling programs, as long as it has been emptied and rinsed of any food.
#2/HDPE
HDPE, or high-density polyethylene, is a versatile plastic with many uses, especially in packaging. It carries a low risk of leaching and is readily recyclable into many types of goods. It is used to make milk jugs, juice bottles, bleach, detergent and other household cleaner bottles, shampoo bottles, some trash bags and shopping bags, motor oil bottles, butter and yogurt tubs, and cereal box liners. HDPE can be recycled through most curbside recycling programs, although it is recommended to check whether the municipality prefers containers to be recycled with or without lids.
In Salt Lake County, plastic bags, wraps, and films can be recycled at retail stores such as Smiths, WinCo, Target, and Walmart. These stores have collection barrels at the front where plastic film and bags are collected and processed separately. This avoids the problems soft plastics cause at mixed sorting facilities.
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Plastic resin codes #3, #6, and #7 are still accepted but harder to recycle
Plastic resin codes, also known as Resin Identification Codes (RICs), were invented in the late 1980s to help manufacturers establish consistency in the materials used for their packaging. These codes, which are numbers 1 through 7 enclosed in a small triangle, help identify the type of plastic resin from which an item is made. However, it's important to note that the presence of a resin code doesn't always indicate recyclability. In Salt Lake City, the curbside recycling service accepts plastic with resin codes #1 through #7.
Plastic resin codes #3 (PVC), #6 (PS), and #7 (Other) are harder to recycle and are sometimes considered too toxic or complex for certain facilities to process. In Salt Lake City, these plastics are sold to a local cement plant, where they are incinerated to heat their kiln. This practice, known as "burning plastic for fuel," is common in the cement industry, which contributes to 7% of global greenhouse emissions. While proponents argue that burning plastic is cleaner than burning coal, it can release harmful toxins like dioxins into the air.
Plastics #3, #6, and #7 often contain toxic chemicals, and it is recommended to avoid using items made of these plastics, especially when microwaving food or beverages. Products with these resin codes include rubber duckies, pet toys, garden hoses, Christmas trees, traffic cones, red plastic Solo cups, clamshell takeout containers, baby bottles, sippy cups, water cooler bottles, and car parts.
Despite the challenges of recycling plastic resin codes #3, #6, and #7, Salt Lake City continues to accept containers with these numbers. However, it is important to separate items in your recycling bin and avoid bagging recyclables, as bags can clog sorting equipment. Additionally, soft plastics, such as plastic bags, wraps, and films, can be recycled at retail stores like Smiths, WinCo, Target, and Walmart, which have separate collection barrels for these materials.
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Plastic can be recycled at the Waste Management Material Recovery Facility (MRF)
In Salt Lake City, plastic can be recycled at the Waste Management Material Recovery Facility (MRF). The MRF is an industrial facility that sorts and reclaims waste material with recyclable value from curbside recycling collection and curbside garbage cans. The facility is designed to process co-mingled and single-stream recyclables, including plastics #1 and #2, for the recovery of valuable materials.
Once plastic materials and other recyclables are collected from your curbside bin, they are transported and sorted at the MRF. From there, they are sorted and baled and sent to their purchasers for processing. Whether plastic gets recycled depends on demand, as plastic waste is treated as a commodity with fluctuating value and market conditions.
Plastics #1/PET and #2/HDPE are the most commonly and easily recycled types, followed by #4/LDPE and #5/PP. These plastics are sorted and baled at the MRF and then sent to end-use facilities located primarily in the US, with a few in Canada and Mexico. Materials are not converted at the MRF itself.
In Salt Lake City, plastics with resin codes #3/PVC, #6/PS, and #7/other are not typically recycled through the curbside program. These plastics are instead sold to a local cement plant, where they are incinerated to heat their kiln. This practice of burning plastic for fuel is common in the cement industry but has raised concerns about the release of harmful toxins.
Additionally, Salt Lake City offers recycling drop-off locations for plastic bags, wraps, and films at various retail stores, such as Smiths, WinCo, Target, and Walmart. These stores have collection barrels where plastic film and bags are collected and processed separately, avoiding the issues soft plastics cause at mixed sorting facilities.
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Frequently asked questions
Once plastic materials are collected from your curbside bin, they are transported to the Waste Management Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Salt Lake City. There, the plastics are sorted and baled before being sent to purchasers for processing. The most commonly recycled plastics are #1/PET and #2/HDPE, followed by #4/LDPE and #5/PP. Plastics with resin codes #3/PVC, #6/PS, and #7/other are sold to a local cement plant to be incinerated for fuel.
Salt Lake City's curbside recycling service accepts plastic with resin codes #1-7. However, it's important to note that the recyclability of plastics varies between cities and recycling companies. Some specific examples of recyclable plastics in Salt Lake County include beverage bottles, food containers, plastic bags, wraps, and films, which can be dropped off at retail stores such as Target and Walmart.
Yes, Styrofoam is not accepted in Salt Lake City's recycling program. Expanded Polystyrene (Plastic #6) is difficult to process due to its high air content. Other non-recyclable materials include plastic bags, films, or wraps in the curbside blue containers, as they can cause issues at sorting facilities. Shredded paper is also not accepted in the curbside bins but can be dropped off at specific locations for recycling.
