County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works

PLASTIC

Plastic Recycling Chart Many plastic containers manufactured today are stamped with symbols as an aid to recycling. These stamps identify the type of resin or resin mix in the plastic container. Only two types, PET and HDPE, are commonly collected for recycling.
PET	Polyethylene Terephthalate. Includes beverage bottles (like 2-liter pop bottles), frozen food boil-in-the-bag pouches and microwave food trays. PET makes up about 7% of the plastics stream.
HDPE	High Density Polyethylene. Includes milk jugs, trash bags, detergent bottles, bleach bottles and aspirin bottles. HDPE makes up about 31% of plastics stream.
PVC	Polyvinyl Chlorine. Includes cooking oil bottles and packaging around meat. PVC makes up about 5% of plastics stream.
LDPE	Low Density Polyethylene. Includes grocery store produce bags, bread bags, food wrap and mustard squeeze bottles. LDPE makes up about 33% of plastics stream.
PP	Polypropylene. Includes yogurt containers, shampoo bottles, straws, syrup bottles and margarine tubs. PP makes up about 9% of plastics stream.
PS	Polystyrene. Plastic foam (better known by trade name Styrofoam™). Includes hot beverage cups, fast food clamshell containers, egg cartons and meat trays. PS makes up about 11% of plastics stream.
Other	All other plastic resins or mixes of those above in same product. These plastics make up about 4% of plastics stream.

Plastic Containers (water, milk, soap, juice, etc.)
Most plastic containers you purchase will be marked with a large and clear recycling code. Look for the code to be molded into the bottom of the container. Ideally, the entire container will be made of the same plastic to avoid confusion. Most container caps are NOT made of the same type of plastic and should be removed before the container is recycled.

Plastic Grocery Sacks, Produce Bags, and Other Packaging
Plastic grocery and produce bags are commonly made from plastic Types 2 or 4 and often collected at supermarkets. But be aware that most manufacturers have not yet added the recycling codes to the bags. The plastic bag recycling bins at supermarkets should also be marked with the types and colors of plastic accepted. Commonly, Types 2 and 4 can be mixed, but not always. If your supermarket's bags or bins are not marked, please ask the store manager to do so.

Plastic bags for other products such as bread, pasta, marshmallows, etc. are often of Types 2 or 4, but you can't know unless they are marked. If the bags are not recyclable, they should be marked with Type 7.

Other Plastic Items
All products made of a single plastic type should be marked since they will probably be discarded one day. This includes toys, plastic hangers, trash cans, shelves and many other products.

Products such as compact discs, videotapes, and computer discs are made from mixed materials which cannot be recycled unless first disassembled.

Without plastics, 400 percent more material by weight and 200 percent more material by volume would be needed to make packaging, while the volume of packaging would more than double.

By using plastic in packaging, American product manufacturers save enough energy each year to power a city of one million homes for three-and-a-half years.

GLASS
All glass food and beverage containers can be recycled, but it is important not to mix glass bottles with other types of glass such as windows, mirrors, glass tableware, Pyrex® or auto glass. Ceramics will contaminate glass and need to be carefully sorted out.

It is not necessary to remove labels for recycling. Just rinse glass containers thoroughly to prevent odors. Unlike plastics, the high temperature of glass and metal processing easily removes contamination.

Most of the glass recovered in the U.S. is used in new glass containers. A portion is also used in fiberglass.

Recycling a glass jar saves enough energy to light a 100-watt light bulb for four hours.

ALUMINUM
It is not necessary to remove labels for recycling. Just rinse aluminum containers thoroughly to prevent odors.

In 1997, the aluminum industry recycled 3.7 million metric tons of aluminum and 1.5 million metric tons of old scrap that resulted from consumer products.

Because the value of aluminum is so high, aluminum recycling is a very cost-effective alternative to disposal.

99% of all beer cans and 97% of all soft drink cans are made of aluminum.

Most aluminum recovered is used to manufacture new cans.

The aluminum beverage can returns to the grocer's shelf in as little as 90 days after collection.

Recycling an aluminum can saves enough energy to run a television set for three hours.

STEEL
More steel is recycled each year than all other materials combined. Steel's magnetic quality makes it one of the easiest materials to retrieve from construction debris, demolished buildings, junked automobiles, and old appliances.

Besides saving landfill space, recycling steel saves valuable energy and natural resources.

Each year, steel recycling saves the energy equivalent to electrically power about one-fifth of U.S. households for one year.

Every ton of steel recycled conserves 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal, and 120 pounds of limestone.

PAPER
"Post-consumer" means the paper that is returned to recycling centers. From a recycling point of view, the more "post-consumer" paper used the better.

Use a recycling bin to separate paper from trash. Recycling plants operate most efficiently when paper is sorted and kept dry and uncontaminated.

Americans buy over 85 million tons of paper per year-that's about 700 pounds per person.

For every one million sheets of paper not printed, 85 pulp trees are saved.

White Office Paper
White office paper is recyclable and can be placed at curbside. It is one of the highest grades of paper available. Included in this category is letterhead, laser printer paper, copier paper, and white notebook paper, among others.

Staples do not need to be removed as they are removed during the recycling process. White office paper may be downgraded and recycled with mixed paper.

Newspapers
Newspapers are recyclable and can be placed at curbside. Tie newspapers with natural-fiber twine or place them in brown grocery sacks. Other brown paper bags may be mixed with newspaper.

The entire newspaper (including inserts) is recyclable except for items such as product samples and rubber bands.

Newspaper has been recycled profitably for decades. Newspaper is widely available and of uniform consistency which makes it valuable. Recycled newspaper can be used for making newsprint and corrugated or folding boxes.

If all morning newspapers read in the United States were recycled, 41,000 trees would be saved daily and 6 million tons of waste would never end up in landfills.

Magazines
Magazines are recyclable and can be placed at curbside. There are many other ways to recycle a magazine. Use colorful pages for decorative wrap, origami, book covers, etc., or donate to your physician's or dentist's waiting room.

Phone books
Phone books can be recycled at curbside. Simply place them in the recycling container on the day of collection.

Corrugated Cardboard
Corrugated cardboard is recyclable and can be placed at curbside. Residents may also drop boxes off for collection at a supermarket or other high-volume business.

Contaminated cardboard, like greasy pizza boxes, is not acceptable at recycling centers. Staples are allowed, but it is important to remove any packing tape still attached.

Junk Mail
Many types of junk mail are recyclable at curbside. Just be sure to screen it for non-recyclable items like magnets and membership cards. To reduce the amount of junk mail you receive, visit our Junk Mail webpage.

Mixed-Paper
Mixed-paper is recyclable and can be placed at curbside. The term mixed-paper refers to types of paper not previously mentioned. Everything you can imagine, including door hangers, packaging materials, sticky notes, windowed envelopes, and more is acceptable at recycling plants. The paper must be clean, dry, and free of food, most plastic, wax, and other contamination.

Most junk mail can be recycled as mixed-paper as well when you remove plastic wrap, stickers, product samples, and membership cards.

Non-recyclable Paper
Paper that cannot be recycled as "mixed paper" includes food-contaminated paper, waxed paper, oil-soaked paper, carbon paper, sanitary products or tissues, thermal fax paper, stickers and plastic-laminated paper such as fast food wrappers, aseptics, and pet food bags. Paper with any sort of contamination or plastic lamination cannot be recycled.

ASEPTIC PACKAGING
(drink boxes, soy-milk containers)
"Aseptics" are the square boxes used for liquids. A common brand you may be familiar with is "Tetra Pak." Because aseptics are made from complex layers of plastic, metal and paper, the recycling process is difficult and expensive, and therefore available in few places. In the unincorporated areas of the County of Los Angeles, curbside recycling of aseptics is NOT available.

Waxed Cartons (milk, juice, etc.)
The wax content of containers that hold liquids such as milk, cream, and juice makes them non-recyclable.

APPLIANCES, HVAC AND BATTERIES
Most older refrigeration equipment contains freon, a chemical known as Chlorinated Fluorocarbon (CFC). CFCs can destroy the earth's protective ozone coating, leading to increased risk of sunburn, cataracts, and skin cancer for the entire population of the planet (human AND animal).

When disposing of an old refrigerator, heat pump, or air conditioner, be sure the CFCs are safely disposed of first. This can be accomplished by using a hauler who will perform this important service. Be sure to ask before you let them take your old equipment away.

A number of international treaties, federal and state laws govern the use of CFCs. Handlers of refrigeration equipment can get information on laws and recycling equipment from Section 608 Refrigerant Recycling rule at www.epa.gov.

Rechargeable Batteries
Nickel-Cadmium rechargeable batteries (Ni-Cd) contain cadmium, a metal that can cause blood and reproductive damage, among other problems. These batteries are commonly used in portable telephones, power tools, radios, video tape recorders, and laptop computers. These batteries pose little hazard in use (the cadmium is in a stable form), but are a danger in landfills. Batteries that contain nickel and cadmium must be recycled or disposed of in accordance with local laws.

In 1996, the Battery Act was signed into law to facilitate the collection and recycling of used rechargeable batteries. Prior to the Battery Act, California was one of 13 states that passed laws requiring that rechargeable dry cell batteries be labeled as recyclable and be easily removable from consumer products. For detailed information on rechargeable battery recycling requirements, click on www.epa.gov.