I’m not a huge fan of plastics. From the growing concerns about health risks associated with many types of plastics, to the fact that it doesn’t readily biodegrade, plastic isn’t the great time saver it was touted to be. Then, to top it all off, comes the mystery of what types of plastics can and cannot be recycled.
That said, I also haven’t figured out a way to take plastic completely out of my day-to-day life. Here’s how I’ve been dealing with my family’s plastic usage:
First, I try to avoid buying plastic if there’s a better alternative. For example, I use glass and ceramic containers for storing leftovers, I filter our tap water instead of buying bottled water, I bring my own shopping bag whenever I’m shopping and so on.
Second, if I do buy something in a plastic container, I check to see if it can be recycled. Most local recycling programs only accept plastic bottles with a neck that have the #1 or #2 recycling symbols. Our local program requires that we empty, rinse and remove caps and rings before recycling. And it doesn’t accept plastic containers #3 or higher, plastic bags, motor oil containers or vegetable oil bottles.