Long Beach drops collection of certain plastics, cartons in updated recycling program

Citing worldwide changes in the recycling industry and a reduction in demand for some types of materials, the city of Long Beach announced today it will no longer accept some plastics and cartons in its residential and commercial recycling program.

City officials urged residents to check what types of materials they are putting in recycling bins.

According to the city, it will no longer accept four types of plastics:

• PVC 3 or Polyvinyl Chloride, including soft and flexible packaging such as plastic food wrapping, children’s toys and teething rings;

• LDPE 4 or Low-Density Polyethylene, including plastic bags, produce bags, shrink wrap, dry cleaner garment bags, squeezable bottles and plastic bags that package bread;

• PS 6 or Polystyrene, including foam or rigid plastic #6 cups, plates, take-out “clamshell” food containers, egg cartons, cutlery/utensils,form packaging and packaging peanuts; and

• Other 7, or catch-all for polycarbonate (PC), and other plastics including compostable plastics and any other type of plastic material that is not a 1-6 type of plastic.

The city also will no longer accept cartons, “including all refrigerated, shelf-stable, aseptic packaging boxes and cartons such as juice boxes and cartons, dairy and non-dairy boxes and cartons, wine boxes and egg substitute cartons.”

Acceptable materials in the recycling bins are:
• Paper
• Cardboard
• Metals, including aluminum, tin, meat cans, soda cans, juice cans, soup cans, vegetable cans, pet food cans, pie tins, clean aluminum foil, and empty paint and aerosol cans;
• Glass bottles and jars;
• PETE 1 or Polyethylene Terephthlate, including plastic soda bottles, plastic juice bottles and plastic water bottles;
• HDPE 2 or High Density Polyethylene, including milk jugs, laundry detergent and planters; and
• PP 5 or Polyproplylene, including yogurt tubs, plastic bottle topsand margarine tubs.