Are Plastic Bottle Caps Recyclable?

In recent years, as our knowledge of climate change and recycling increases, we have more and more questions about what is safe to recycle.

Plastic bottle caps are one of many plastics that don’t break down and end up harming the ocean, the environment, and wildlife.

In short: yes, plastic bottle caps are now recyclable! There are different standards depending on your area and local recycling standards, so read on to learn more about recycling plastic bottle caps.

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Why Is Recycling Bottle Caps Important?

The caps may look small, but these little caps can have a big impact on the environment. In a study by the Hawaiian Beaches Environmental Awareness Campaign, researchers found that 100 percent of albatross chicks on the islands of northwestern Hawaii ingested plastic. Yes, all. Bottle caps are also on the list. In fact, plastic covers and lids were among the top ten items found during beach cleanups of marine litter.

Are Plastic Bottle Caps Recyclable?

Plastic bottle caps are recyclable, but this depends on the type of plastic and local recycling center regulations.

If you throw a plastic bottle cap in the trash, chances are it will end up in the ocean!

What Are Plastic Bottle Caps Made Of?

Plastic caps are usually made of a different plastic than the bottle, which is why the problem remains if they are too recyclable.

Plastic caps are usually made of #2 and #5 plastics, while bottles are usually #1. These #2 and #5 plastics that make up plastic bottle caps are also known as:

High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
Polypropylene (PP)

Both HDPE and PP are useful in a variety of recycling applications, which makes recycling plastic caps worth it!

How Are Plastic Bottle Caps Recycled?

Generally, the recycling process begins at a material recovery facility. The process proceeds in the following ways:

First, separate the plastic water bottle and the plastic water bottle cap.
The facility uses pressure to flatten the bottle.
The bottle and cap get into the water after a vigorous cleaning process.
Due to the different types of plastic, plastic bottle caps will float and plastic bottles will sink. This makes the separation process easier.
From there, the plastic caps are shredded and concentrated.
Finally, they are shipped elsewhere to be made into different plastics.

How Recycling Plastic Bottle Caps Help the Environment?

Research shows that 20 million bottle caps have polluted our beaches and oceans over the past 30 years.

Knowing whether plastic bottle caps are recyclable is crucial to sorting out your recycling habits and reducing the amount of waste you generate every day.

Considering that Americans consume billions of plastic water bottles every year, and plastic is not biodegradable, learning how to recycle plastic bottle caps is a huge step in reducing your footprint on the planet!

How To Recycle Plastic Bottle Caps

However, if plastic bottle caps are recycled in your area, this advice is actually true! According to the Plastics Recycling Association, “You don’t need to remove the caps from plastic water bottles before recycling them.” They continued, “While some people believe that removing the caps helps to sort recycling facilities, in fact, the opposite is true.”

Instead, if you can recycle plastic caps in your city, just crush your plastic bottle, twist your plastic cap back on, and throw it in the recycling bin.