Q. Why can't I recycle all plastics since they have the recycling arrows (Mobius) on the product?

Manufacturers strive to get Eco-friendly information on their product labels. It sells. The FTC requires that a product have at least 60% access to local programs (like Material Recovery Facility processing) across the U.S. to include the recycling arrows (Mobius) on their products.

However, the Mobius is not a reliable indicator of whether something gets recycled. There are thousands of plastic products and packaging, and each one has its own unique chemical recipe. Not all plastics are equal. And not all plastics cannot be made into new products at this time.

Recycle in your red bin plastics by shape: bottles, jars, jugs and tubs. There is strong demand for these items to be made into new bottles, lumber, toys, furniture, clothing and carpet.

The other plastics, what we refer to as miscellaneous plastics, can only be recycled through the drop off program. There are fewer markets for this product so it is harder to recycle this material. Consider reduce and reuse for this type of plastic. Note: no longer is black plastic accepted at the drop off locations for miscellaneous plastics.