Hard-To-Recycle Item of the Month: Caps & Lids

While most plastic lids and caps are technically recyclable, their small size is a problem for sorting facilities. Like loose plastic bags, shredded paper and other small items, they gum-up the works. Our recycling facility prefers that caps and lids go into the garbage.

This goes for soda and glass bottles; yogurt, juice and milk containers; medicine bottles (actually medicine bottles & caps go in the garbage), toothpaste, cosmetics, pump/spray containers; as well as shampoo, conditioner and detergent bottles.

Next time your plastic or glass bottle is empty, be sure to remove the cap and clean the bottle before you toss it in the recycle bin.

There is one exception: with plastic bottles, you can collapse the container, and screw the cap back on.

What should you do with those extra caps? Here are a few reuse ideas.