Plastic #1 (PET)
What Should I Do With It?
Plastic #1, commonly known as PET, is widely used to package disposable water bottles, soda bottles, and food containers. While these items are highly recyclable curbside, they must be completely empty and clean because leftover liquids and food residue can easily contaminate entire batches of recyclables. Matching caps can go in the bin, but only if they are screwed tightly onto their original bottles. However, you should never wash and reuse these single-use bottles for drinking, as the plastic is highly porous and absorbs bacteria over time. To reduce plastic waste, consider switching to filtered tap water and choosing infinitely recyclable packaging materials like glass or stainless steel.
Before throwing this away, see if it can be fixed up, given to a friend, or donated to a local thrift shop. Keeping items in use is the best way to stop waste before it starts!
The recycling guidelines shown here are for general reference and educational purposes. Every city and town has different rules, sorting equipment, and recycling programs.
Please check your local town website or ask your local garbage collection program to make sure you are following your neighborhood's rules.