One Small Step: Remove Plastic Beverage Lids
September 1, 2007 by Jennifer
If you buy beverages in plastic bottles be sure to remove the lids before you toss them in the recycling bins.
I’m going to assume you recycle your plastic bottles (correct). The deal is that lids are not a disposable part of that bottle of water or cranberry juice you purchase.
At one recycling plant I used to frequent in New Mexico, one of the workers told me that if they find a bottle with a lid they toss it in the garbage. Great recycling plant huh. I’ve heard other green folks mention this problem with their town’s recycling centers. One flick of your wrist to toss the cap before you recycle will save a lot of plastic bottles from being trashed.
Turn your one small step into a larger, smarter eco-step:
Don’t buy beverages with lids at all. This is a much larger step for another post; but I will say that all those tiny lids add up. You can buy frozen juice in recyclable containers and save on lids; you can buy drinks in aluminum cans which are recyclable, you can use tap water and refill a hip refillable water bottle.
But for now try the small step of not tossing bottles with lids into the recycling. Already only about 12% of water bottles in the U.S. are recycled — don’t let your bottle add to that trash for one little lid.
Here’s a fascinating story, with video and slides, about one fellow who used two plastic water bottle for four years.
Don’t forget, all your small steps add up to a healthy happy planet.
I’m glad you brought this up. I actually leave my lids on until I take the recycling to the bins. The reason is to prevent odor. I do try to rinse, but some things are difficult and drying takes a while. It just keeps my bins neater. But I DO take them off before taking them to the bins that I have to drive to because apartments around here don’t provide them.
I wondered about my CoffeeMate container. I don’t always buy this, but when I do, I always wonder why they don’t want you to take the lid off. The plastic lid is attached in some unnatural way. I could not get it off, so I left it on.
I wonder if it got tossed…
If I buy coffeemate, I buy the generic brand because it has a lid that screws off. I noticed that about coffeemate before. If you buy the bulk coffeemate it comes with the plastic lid; but then the container is two different materials — it has the odd little metal band at the top (maybe not anymore). You can also buy it in bulk from the co-op and just use your own recycled bags or container.
Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks for this valuable tip, Jennifer. I’ve always left the caps on because I had no idea they should be removed. We don’t use many plastic bottles, but I hate to think my efforts to recycle those we do use have been wasted.
Well, Lillie; you never know maybe you have some decent recycling minded folks at your closest center. They can’t all be bad
Plus at least you are recycling. 12% is a pretty sad number. Every bit of trying is a good deal. Lastly, companies should have the scruples to simply only produce what we can recycle — leaving so many recycling choices and issues up to consumers is a disgrace. They should make it simple.
Or better yet, don’t buy water bottles at all, just use the same bottle over. OR install a whole house water filter and drink from the tap. OR invest in a Brita.
Hey Deb; actually that’s what I said in the post — even linked to your bottle
I am concerned about filters because you can’t recycle them that I know of and that’s a huge hunk of plastic — I’ve been looking into it because I’d like a filter (used to have a PUR) but the waste of filters bothers me. Then again so does toxic water.
Great to know! We almost always remove ours, but we have dropped in some that had the lids. NY is trying to pass a bill to place a deposit on all beverage containers, not just soda and beers. There’s a recycling group against this because they say it will drive up cost of groceries and blah blah blah, but I’m all for it. I will gladly pay 5 cent extra for my water/juice/etc and reap the refund in the end.
Plus save the planet? Heck yeah, I’m all for it. Maybe you can check that out?
http://www.terraflo.com/ – recyclable filter system
I don’t like the attack-dog tactics on their recycling page, but you can tell they feel seriously about their product and their effect on the environment.
They do have attack tactics huh. Still it would be a great idea if they were currently selling; I’ll have to look around for one that is. Thanks for the tip!
Julie, I’ve lived in states that have and states that don’t have deposits on bottles — guess which states recycle more. Yup the refund states; it’s a no brainer that shuld be implemented everywhere.