Plastic Cups Alternative ways to recycle Burbank Recycle Center Drop-Off Trash Container Recycle Container Only clear cups, #1 and #5, are accepted for recycling; all others are trash. #1 PET Cups are under the “clamshell” category (also called thermoforms): Clamshells include clear produce containers, take out containers, and cups. Please remove all liquid and lightly rinse. Clamshells that are not accepted for recycling and are trash: Colors (especially black): Colors have limited commodity value given the color cannot be removed. Compostable clamshells: NEVER place bioplastics, even those marked as PLA (polyactic acid), in the recycling or green cart. This is a trash item in Burbank due to the challenges they currently pose at recycling and in composting facilities, they don’t break down fast enough. Find out more about bioplastics. Non #1 PET: Such as electronic trays, or #6 PS (a plastic form of polystyrene) are trash, no matter what color. REDUCE AND REUSE: While recycling is good, always try to reduce single use packaging when possible. Reduce and Reuse = Rewash! Hosting a party? Your plastic cups don’t have to be single-use! Most are sturdy enough to be washed, stored and reused again. BYO: Your cold coffee drink habit can be less impactful when bringing your own cup. There are lots of options, some with built in reusable straws, too! Alternative Ways to Recycle Solo® Cup Recycling Program You can send in any rigid, plastic #6 cup to the Solo® Cup Free Recycling Program by TerraCycle. Ways to Reduce Choose Reusable Cups Red Cup Living makes a reusable cup that looks like the classic red Solo® cup. Consider purchasing these cups instead of disposable ones in order to reduce your plastic waste. Choose Recyclable Cups The Ball Aluminum Cup can be reused or recycled with aluminum cans. Not only is it a more eco-friendly choice than plastic, it will keep your drinks colder, too. Reusable Packaging For Businesses Check out Upstream’s catalog of reusable packaging and unpackaging innovators that provide ways for consumers to obtain products, mostly food and beverages, in returnable, reusable, or refillable packaging – or they deliver products to consumers unpackaged altogether. Did You Know? Plastic #6 Is Difficult to Recycle The United States throws away enough plastic cups and disposable dinnerware to wrap around the Earth three hundred times if stacked together. Why can’t these plastics cups be recycled? Solo cups are made from polystyrene, or plastic #6, which is not recycled by most cities. Plastic in Our Bodies Styrene, a component of polystyrene, has been found in 100 percent of human fat tissue samples dating back to 1986. It is known to cause cancer in animals, and suspected to be both cancerous for humans as well.
