Many recycling programs refuse to accept rigid plastic bottle caps in regular curbside collection because of their tendency to contaminate other plastics and difficulty in sorting them out. Indeed, it is easy for even diligent recyclers to overlook these tiny bits of plastic. But those little bits add up, not to mention the hazards they pose to wildlife.

According to the Chicago Green Lifestyle Examiner, salon and beauty product maker Aveda is specifically targeting rigid polypropylene plastic caps for recycling. The green-minded company, based in Blaine, Minn., is accepting the caps at all of its stores and is encouraging schools to run cap-collecting programs. Aveda will use the material in its redesigned packaging, which it expects to debut later this year.