Recycling Right: Debunking America's Biggest Recycling Myths

Julia Fox and Sabrina Xu

You rinse the bottle. You check for the little triangle. You toss it in the blue bin with a small sense of satisfaction, confident you have done your part for the planet. But what if that ritual, repeated by millions of Americans every single day, is largely an illusion?

The truth is uncomfortable: only a small fraction of the plastic Americans put in recycling bins actually gets recycled. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in 2018 just 8.7 percent of plastics in the United States were actually recycled. Another 15.8 percent was incinerated with energy recovery, while a staggering 75.6 percent ended up in landfills (NIST).  Despite our best intentions, and that reassuring chasing-arrows symbol stamped on nearly everything we buy, the vast majority of our plastic waste never gets a second life. For decades, we have been sold a comforting story that if we just sort our waste correctly, the system will take care of the rest. That story is not entirely true. The gap between what we believe and what actually happens has real consequences for our environment, our health, and our economy. 

This is not an argument against recycling. It is a call to understand it better. In this piece, we will separate fact from fiction, unpack why plastic recycling rates remain so stubbornly low, and explore what's actually happening to your "recyclables" after the truck drives away. Most importantly, we will look at what consumers can realistically do, beyond wishful sorting, to cut down on plastic waste at the source. The first step to fixing a broken system is understanding how it actually works.

Firstly, the chasing arrow sign on plastics with a number one to seven in the middle are resin identification codes (RIC). There is a common misconception that any plastic labeled with a chasing arrow signifies it is recyclable. However, in reality, the purpose of resin identification codes are to “identify the type of plastic resin the product is made from, which helps sorting facilities process it more efficiently” ("What Is That Number"). Not to mention, in some areas, such as in New York City, disposing of an item is not based on the recycling number but rather what the item is; there is a list of recyclable and non-recyclable items on their NYC311 website. Please check your local websites to determine what can be recycled. However, in most cases, RIC #1, #2, and #5 are accepted and recyclable.      

#1 Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) is the most common thermoplastic polymer resin in the polyester family and usually used for single-use bottles and packaging. According to NAPCOR, “PET bottles are accepted in virtually all recycling programs in the US. 88% of US households have access to PET bottle recycling… Up to 100% of a PET package can be made from recycled PET, which can, in turn, be recycled again and again” ("What is PET?”).  

#2 High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is a thermoplastic polymer made from petroleum and is often used to produce milk jugs, shampoo bottles, etc. It is a strong non-transparent plastic that can handle damage and is microwavable. “The material is virtually impervious to most common chemicals, water, solvents, acids, detergents, and cleaning fluids.” ("What is HDPE?"). Similar to PET, the plastic is widely accepted and recyclable but lighter versions such as a plastic bag are not.

#3 Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a common type of plastic used for raincoats, shower curtains, and pipes due to its lightweight and durable structure. It is generally not accepted for recycling but certain organizations do take PVC pipes and PVC waste. “PVC can be subject to both mechanical recycling processes and feedstock recycling.” (Lewandowski and Skórczewska).

#4 Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is a lightweight, flexible, and translucent plastic used to produce plastic bags, plastic wraps, etc. Unlike HDPE, it is not widely accepted for recycling. 

#5 Polypropylene (PP) is a hard but flexible plastic used to create a plethora of items, including but not limited to bottle caps, straws, yogurt tubs, juice bottles, cups, etc. Not to mention, it is microwavable, so it is often used to contain food; when recycling, make sure to rinse it clean. Due to its versatility, acceptance of the plastic varies by item but is still fairly accepted. According to RecycleByCity, “The Recycling Partnership awarding grants to materials recovery facilities to help them update their programs to accept polypropylene” (Copinger).     

#6 Polystyrene (PS), better known as styrofoam, is a lightweight plastic that can be found in both solid and foam form, such as plastic cutlery, packaging for fragile items, and takeout food containers. It is almost never accepted for recycling and some versions, like foam containers, are even banned in certain states.   

#7 Other is the category and code for all the other types of plastic not within 1-6. This embodies acrylic, nylon, baby bottles, glasses, etc.   

The recycling numbers may tell us what type of plastic we are holding, but they do not tell us whether that item will actually be recycled. This uncertainty has contributed to several common misconceptions about how the recycling system works. One of the most widespread beliefs is that recyclables simply end up in the landfill anyway. However, this is not necessarily true. Recycling facilities utilize sorting equipment and workers to separate accepted recyclable materials from one another, such as aluminum, cardboard, and the various types of plastic. Because these materials are collected together, the sorting process is necessary to separate them into their appropriate categories. However, these sorters are not there to sort through household garbage and determine what should have been recycled. When non-recyclable items are placed in the recycling bin, they can contaminate the recycling stream, interfere with the sorting process, and ultimately end up in a landfill (Eco-Cycle).  

Additionally, there is also a misconception that if an item might be recyclable, it is better to put it in the recycling bin just in case. This practice, known as “wish-cycling,” occurs when people place items they are unsure about into the recycling bin with the hope they will be accepted. Although the intention may be good, wish-cycling can introduce further contaminants. Instead of guessing, consumers should check their local recycling guidelines before placing questionable items in the bin (NH Recycles). 

Understanding these misconceptions makes one thing clear: we are simply not recycling as much as we should. The problem is not that recycling is completely ineffective, but that the system has significant limitations and our current recycling habits are not enough to keep pace with the amount of waste we produce. The scale of the challenge is written right into federal policy. The National Recycling Goal set by the EPA aims to raise the national recycling rate to 50 percent by 2030, a target that only makes sense in light of how far short we currently fall (EPA). If the country needs a formal government goal just to get recycling to the halfway mark, that alone tells you something about where things actually stand today. 

Ultimately, becoming better recyclers does not mean putting more items into the blue bin. It means recycling correctly, reducing unnecessary consumption, and understanding what happens to our waste after we throw it away. The chasing arrows on a package are only the beginning. Real progress requires consumers to look beyond the symbol, follow local recycling guidelines, and recognize that reducing waste in the first place is just as important as recycling what remains. 

Citations

ACME Plastics. “What Is HDPE?” ACME Plastics, https://www.acmeplastics.com/what-is-hdpe.

Copinger, Kaitlynn. "Cracking the (Recycling) Code." Recycle by City, www.recyclebycity.com/blog/cracking-the-recycling-code.

Eco-Cycle. “Recycling Myths.” Eco-Cycle, https://ecocycle.org/eco-living/recycling-101/recycling-myths/.

Lewandowski, Krzysztof, and Katarzyna Skórczewska. “A Brief Review of Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) Recycling.” Polymers vol. 14,15 3035. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9332854/ 

National Association for PET Container Resources. “About PET.” NAPCOR, https://napcor.com/about-pet/.

National Institute of Standards and Technology. “U.S. Plastic Recycling Economy.” NIST, https://www.nist.gov/el/applied-economics-office/manufacturing/circular-economy/plastic-recycling.

New Hampshire Recycles. “Wish-Cycling: Just Trash. Good Thoughts.” NH Recycles, https://www.nhrecycles.org/recyclerightcampaign/wish-cycling-just-trash-good-thoughts.

Ohio Solid Waste Authority. “What Is That Number on Your Plastic Container?” Ohio Solid Waste Authority, https://www.ohswa.org/blog/what-is-that-number-on-your-plastic-container/.

United States Environmental Protection Agency. “Fact Sheet about the National Recycling Goal: 50 Percent by 2030.” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/circulareconomy/fact-sheet-about-national-recycling-goal-50-percent-2030.