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There is now a great number of consumer products
on the market, either coming in plastic bottles or being wrapped
in plastic packaging.
Recycling this plastic can sometimes seem complex and difficult.
However, many recycling centres and even the green bins now
accept certain plastics for recycling.
Below is a step-by-step guide to recycling plastics
and the various locations in the four Dublin Local Authorities
where you can recycle plastic packaging.
Your step by step guide to plastic recycling
Detailed below is a step-by-step guide to the procedures involved in
the recycling of plastics - either for depositing at recycling
facilities or bring banks or into your green bin.
Step 1. Get familiar with the types of plastics you
can recycle.
There are 7 different types of plastic that you need to be
familiar with. There is a triangular symbol that is commonly
found on the bottom of plastic containers and bottles. This
symbol usually has a number inside the triangle
which indicates what type of plastic material it is.
Step 2. Find out where you can recycle different types
of plastic.
There are numerous outlets around Dublin where plastic packaging
can be recycled. Click on the links below to view the locations
for recycling plastic packaging in the Dublin Region. Your
green bin will also accept clean and dry plastic bottles.
Step 3. A few quick and simple preparations may sometimes
be required to make a particular plastic product suitable
for recycling.
All plastic packaging should be free of any contamination
when bringing it for recycling. This includes giving all containers,
bottles, cartons, etc. a rinse out to remove contaminants.
Remove any additional paper or cardboard that may be attached
to the container where possible.
Step 4. Recycling products that comprise of more than
one type of plastic.
A plastic composite is a plastic container that consists of
more than one type of plastic. An example would be supermarket
meat containers. Such a container would usually consists of
up to 3 different elements -
- The absorbent mat that the product is placed upon to absorb
excess liquids from the product.
- The clear cover sheet with the labels and information
about the product - and
- The rectangular rigid container itself.
The easiest way to handle such a product would be to break
it down into its 3 separate plastic components and handle
each separately as follows
- The absorbent mat must be put in your black bin.
- The clear cover sheet - once cleaned - can be sent for
recycling. Check the category code, but this may usually
be category 4 type plastic.
- The rigid rectangular container - once cleaned - can be
sent for recycling. Check the category code - but this may
usually be one of a number of different categories of plastic.
Locations for recycling plastic packaging in Dublin
Each local authority in Dublin provides recycling facilities
for recycling plastic packaging. Click on the links below to
find the one in your locality. You can download and print
these leaflets to put on your fridge for handy reference ....
and don't forget your green bin will also take plastic bottles
as long as the lids are removed first -
The green bin now accepts plastic bottles. These bottles
must be type 1 and type 2 plastic bottles only.
(These numbers can be seen at the bottom of the plastic bottle
inside the triangular symbol).
The bottles must be clean and dry before going into the green
bin and the lids must be removed.
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