The recycling facilities are making cutbacks due to changes in the global market that are making certain plastics hard to sell.

Waste360 Staff, Staff

September 21, 2017

1 Min Read
Recycling Facilities in Portland, Ore., Stop Accepting Certain Types of Plastics

In Portland, Ore., recycling facilities are starting to cut down on the certain types of plastics they accept due to changes in the global market that are making certain plastics hard to sell.

Far West Recycling is one of the facilities making changes. Last week, it announced that it’s no longer accepting plastic bags and other film plastic, rigid plastics like plastic lids, bins and crates or mixed plastics with any number #1 through #7.

With China’s intent to ban 24 types of solid waste imports, the city expects that other recycling industries will follow suit.

Metro News has more details:

Recycling facilities around greater Portland are significantly narrowing the types of plastic they accept, citing changes to global markets making it too hard to sell those plastics. There is no timeline for when markets may once again be hospitable for a range of everyday plastics, from produce bags to take-out containers.

Far West Recycling announced last week it is no longer accepting plastic bags and other film plastic, rigid plastics like plastic lids, bins or crates, or mixed plastics with any number #1  through #7, a category that includes plastic cups and a range of food containers. That leaves only two types of plastic accepted at Far West, bottles that are either #1 PET or #2 HDPE.

It’s likely that other facilities will follow suit, and that drop-off locations, such as grocery stores that now take some containers, will also curb what they collect.

Read the full story here.

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