Secret Knowledge: Recycling #5 Plastics in ABQ

Laura Marrich [ Thu Apr 15 2010 11:08 AM ]

The city of Albuquerque’s recycling program can only process #1 and #2 plastics, which covers screw-top plastic bottles and jugs. That’s it for plastic. “But,” we all think to ourselves, “if it has that ‘chasing-arrow’ logo on the bottom, then they’re recyclable.” And we’re wrong.

In an enlightening Straight Dope column from January on compostable plastics (In a nutshell: “Breaking it down requires a special industrial facility that exposes the plastic to 140-degree-Fahrenheit heat for at least ten days— something you're not going to get by tossing it on your backyard pile of grass clippings.”), Cecil Adams breaks it down for us yet again:

The triangular chasing-arrows symbol with a number inside doesn't mean the product bearing it can be recycled. As I've explained before, it merely indicates what type of plastic the thing’s made from. Type 7 is miscellaneous, which can't be recycled because the materials in the mix may have different melting points and such. Plastic types 3 through 6 can theoretically be recycled but seldom are because the financial return is minimal.

A ton of food-grade plastics, like yogurt cups, are made from #5 plastic. Rather than add yours to the landfill or the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, you can take your cleaned-out containers to four Whole Foods locations in New Mexico. From there, Whole Foods ships its #5 collections to Preserve, where the plastics are reincarnated as toothbrushes and razors. (Then sold back to you through Whole Foods and other retailers. ... Ship back your spent toothbrush to Preserve, and they become a park bench.) While you’re at it, they’ll take your spent Brita water filters, too.

Whole Foods “Gimme 5” recycling drop-offs:

• Albuquerque, 5815 Wyoming Blvd NE

• Albuquerque, 2103 Carlisle Blvd. NE

• Santa Fe, 753 Cerrillos Rd

• Santa Fe, 1090 S. Saint Francis Dr.

For a nationwide list of “Gimme 5” recycling drop-offs, look here.

Public Comments (2)

- bevo1232
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Whole Foods Employees Not Recycle Friendly [ Thu Apr 15 2010 11:48 AM ]

I had to comment that I took my #3 - 6's to the Whole Foods on Carlisle and a female employee said that the recycling was only for "customers". I shop at Whole Foods occasionally so I'm a customer but that day I was only dropping off recycling and she gave me a hard time about ONLY dropping off recyclables. Finally another male employee came over and saved the day and said he would take them. So beware when you go to drop off your recyclables make sure you're also shopping otherwise you will get harassed by some employees. I didn't think it would be so hard to try and be eco-friendly.
- Tokonono
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Sweet! [ Sat Apr 17 2010 10:15 AM ]

The Whole Foods on Carlisle is like the ugly step-sister of the Whole Foods Family. It has the worst variety of goods, and it doesn't surprise me that they're not all on board. If I believed in that sort of thing, I'd say the location still holds a grudge about Wild Oats being bought out.
This is great news, though. We've been doing the Gimme 5 program for a year now, and it's kind of a pain to have to ship it all. Good to know we can now drop it off locally.