A few types of recyclable plastics
Fayetteville residents may now recycle 3-7 plastics at the city’s 24/7 drop-off facility located at 1420 S. Happy Hollow Road.
Previously, only Nos. 1 and 2 plastics could be recycled.
Nos. 3 through 7 plastics include yogurt cups, butter tubs, and plastic cups.
Identification numbers for plastics are located on the bottom of the bottles and containers inside a triangular recycling symbol.
Brian Pugh, the city’s waste reduction coordinator, explained in a news release why the change was made.
“Until recently, the only markets for these hard-to-recycle No. 3 through No. 7 plastic bottles and containers were overseas and there was great concern over what was actually happening to the plastic,” said Pugh. “The low value associated with this grade of plastic and the instability in markets has made it increasingly hard to add these plastics to the list of materials currently collected for recycling.”
According to the release, Preferred Waste Solutions (of Okla.) will purchase the plastics to convert them into synthetic crude oil.
Pugh said it is extremely important to not place plastic bags into the drop-off containers.
“Plastic bags will get into the sorting equipment used at the site processing the plastic and cause mechanical failures,” he said.
Pugh said collection of Nos. 3 through 7 plastics in the city’s curbside pickup program will be added at a later date.
