Recycling plastics can seem complicated but once you’re aware of what is and isn’t accepted by your local recycling system, you’ll help prevent huge amounts of plastic waste. Items such as black plastics, stand-up pouches, coffee pods, stir sticks and straws generally do not go into household recycling bins.

Get Started

• Check out our Guide to Plastics and learn which plastics are most commonly recyclable as well as those which can’t be recycled
• Review municipal recycling guidelines by visiting your city or county government’s website to see what’s accepted
• Rinse dirty plastic containers before placing them in the recycling bin
• Before throwing old electronics, used printer cartridges and other large plastic items in the trash, check for specialty recycling programs offered by manufacturers and local businesses