How Do You Recycle Bottle Covers?

Recycling bottle covers, also known as caps, typically involves collecting them and processing them separately from the bottles due to their different plastic types. If left on the bottle, the first step in the recycling process at a material recovery facility (MRF) is to separate the bottles and caps into their individual resins. MRFs often use a pressurized system to expel caps and flatten bottles to achieve this separation.

Why Bottle Cap Recycling Matters

Bottle caps, despite their small size, are a significant source of plastic waste. They are often made from different types of plastic than the bottles they cover, primarily #2 HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) or #5 PP (Polypropylene), while bottles are commonly made from #1 PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate). This difference in plastic type means they melt at different temperatures and require separate processing for effective recycling.

Recycling caps helps reduce landfill waste and conserves resources, turning old plastic into new products like:

• Storage containers
• Plastic lumber
• Car batteries
• Pipes

The Recycling Process for Bottle Caps

The method for recycling caps often depends on whether you remove them or leave them on the bottle when you dispose of the container.

Caps Left On

As per the recycling process description, if caps are left on:

1. Collection & Arrival: Bottles with caps arrive at a material recovery facility (MRF).
2. Separation: The MRF utilizes machinery to sort materials. Crucially, a pressurized system is used to expel the caps from the bottles. This separates the cap plastic (#2 or #5) from the bottle plastic (#1).
3. Baling: The separated caps are collected and baled with other plastics of the same resin type (e.g., #2 HDPE or #5 PP).
4. Processing: The baled plastic is sent to a processor, where it is cleaned, shredded, melted, and molded into pellets or flakes.
5. Manufacturing: These recycled plastic pellets or flakes are then used by manufacturers to create new plastic products.

Caps Removed

Some recycling programs prefer or require caps to be removed. In this case:

1. Collection: Caps are often collected separately at home or through specific drop-off programs.
2. Aggregating: Collected caps are gathered, often by community groups or specific recycling companies that handle small plastics.
3. Processing: Similar to caps left on, they are cleaned, sorted by resin type, melted, and processed into raw material for new products.

Tips for Recycling Bottle Caps

Knowing how your local recycling facility handles caps is key.

• Check Local Guidelines: Always consult your municipality's or recycling provider's website for specific instructions on how to prepare bottles and caps for recycling.
• Empty and Rinse: Ensure bottles are empty and rinsed to prevent contamination.
• To Leave On or Take Off?: Follow your local program's guidance. While leaving them on allows MRFs using pressurized systems to separate them efficiently, some older or smaller facilities may prefer them removed to prevent them from falling through sorting screens.

Here's a simple breakdown of common handling based on facility type:

Understanding how material recovery facilities process plastic waste, including the use of pressurized systems to separate bottles and caps into their individual resins, is fundamental to ensuring these small but significant plastic items are effectively recycled.