> For instance most spray cleaners come in bottles made of high-density polyethylene, which can be readily recycled. But first consumers must remove the spraytops, as they are made from different plastics and are not recyclable. Then consumers must find a way to pry off the brightly-colored, printed plastic wraps that packagers are increasingly wrapping around bottles to make the labeling more attractive.> “Who does all that? Nobody,” said Sanborn.
I do! It's a little fiddly, but any sharp knife with a point you can slip under the label does a good enough job of slicing those off.
Good to know that helps, actually - I've often wondered whether I was wasting my time bothering with it.
205guy|5 years ago
The one problem is with deposit beverage containers, plastic or glass, that have those plastic wrap labels. The proof of deposit is on the label, so you can't remove it or the recycler won't accept it. So now plastic is added into the glass recycling stream, or 2 different plastics are mixed in the plastic recycling stream.
I think packaging should be regulated. No mixed materials, printed not glued label, or only glue that can be removed. Plastic number stamped on every piece of plastic produced anywhere in the world. Mandate use of recyclable paperboard packaging instead of plastic wrap. No fake bio-degradable packaging. No embedded electronics or batteries.
Also education: everyone is responsible for their trash. Strip out the recyclables, keep them clean, minimize other trash. In the example of the singing birthday cards, it should be trivial to tear or cut out the electronics and put the paper card into the recycling.
If we had sensible regulations and responsible consumers, then with only a bit of effort, we could have valuable clean recycling streams and minimal landfill.