Helping Santa Fe rethink their waste

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Plastics are found everywhere!  From your telephone, fleece jacket, to your Styrofoam cup you’ll find various types of plastic components.

Petroleum (oil) and natural gas are the main raw materials needed to make most plastics.  By recycling our plastics we are reducing our dependency on non-renewable fossil fuels.

What Plastics Can I Recycle in Santa Fe?

All #1 and #2 bottles, jars and jugs are recyclable in Santa Fe, no matter what the color or shape is. If it has a neck or a lid, and it’s a # 1 or # 2 plastic, then it’s most likely recyclable.

• #1 plastic bottles, jars and jugs – such as soda, water, and soap bottles that usually come in a clear or translucent color.

• #2 plastic bottles, jars and jugs – such as laundry detergent bottles, milk jugs, shampoo bottles, protein power jars that are usually colored or natural (translucent white).

Santa Fe does not recycle #3-7 plastics for many reasons.  Most importantly, plastics #1 (PETE) and #2 (HDPE) have a better local market, higher marketable value, and make up the majority of the plastic waste stream.  Plastics #3-7 represent about 1% – 2% of the total volume of recyclable materials in a typical curbside recycling program.  If we were to try and capture the remaining #3-7 plastic, we would have a very hard time trying to sort it, store up enough bales for a shipment, and sell it.  The volumes that come into BuRRT from the community are currently not high enough.

Why only bottles?

Other #1 & 2 plastics, like clamshells, can also be made from #4-7 plastic.  They can look very similar, yet they are made out of a different plastic resin and are not distinguishable enough at BuRRTs fast paced environment.  We know that all bottles, jars, and jugs are made out of #1 & 2 plastic so there is no need to think twice those plastic items when they are on the sort line.  However, if we accepted clamshells, we would occasionally receive non # 1 or 2 plastic clamshells which would contaminate our plastic bales and possibly be rejected by a recycling buyer.

What does # 1-7 mean?

Plastic is stamped with a recycling symbol and number to help the plastic industry tell the plastic types a part.   To learn more, read about the resin identification code.

Other plastic recycling programs:

#5 plastic (yogurt tubs):

Preserve – Gimme 5