Plastic recycling
The number in the triangle tells you which plastic you have, not whether anyone takes it. Sort by resin and color, keep food out, and check what buyers pay.
How much plastic gets recycled in the US?
US EPA Facts and Figures (2018) put the recycling rate for all plastics at 8.7%, the lowest rate among the common materials on that chart. PET bottles and jars sat at 29.1%. Plastics were about 12% of what Americans threw away. A plastic bottle can take 450 years to break down.
These figures come from EPA's Facts and Figures series. RecycleFind publishes the recycling statistics reference, including tonnage recycled for each material from 1960 to 2018.
Buyers price plastic by resin, color, and how dirty the load is. A clear PET water bottle and a colored detergent jug are both marked with a triangle, and they do not sell as the same grade. RecycleFind lists recycling centers that accept plastic. RecycleFind does not charge users to search the directory.
Why recycling codes fail
The triangular codes were made for consumer labeling. Multi-layer packaging bonds different resins together. Colorants and additives change density. Stamps wear off. A code that says #1 is still worth a float test if the bottle feels wrong.
Code problems
- Multi-layer packaging (different plastics bonded together)
- Additives and colorants that change density and melt behavior
- Wrong code stamps from the molder
- Worn, damaged, or missing codes
- International code variations
What a wrong sort costs you
- Processors reject mixed or dirty bales
- Mixed plastic is paid below sorted PET or HDPE
- PVC in a PET load wrecks a melt
- Metal pumps and springs fail quality checks
Float test, feel test, and burn test
Float test
Use three containers: plain water, a 10% salt solution, and a 25% salt solution.
- Sink in water: PET (#1), PVC (#3). Density over 1.0
- Float in water, sink in 10% salt: most other plastics
- Float in 10% salt: LDPE (#4), PP (#5)
- Float in 25% salt: polyethylene foam and expanded plastics
Flexibility, sound, and feel
Flexibility
- Rigid when thin: PET, PVC, polystyrene
- Flexible when thin: LDPE and HDPE films
- Springs back: polypropylene
- Cracks easily: polystyrene, acrylics
Sound and feel
- Metallic ring: PET bottles when tapped
- Dull thud: HDPE containers
- Crinkly sound: LDPE films and bags
- Smooth, slippery: polypropylene
Burn test (outdoors only)
- Work outdoors with ventilation
- Gloves, goggles, and a respirator
- Keep a fire extinguisher and water next to you
- Do not inhale fumes. PVC and some engineering plastics release toxic gases
- Check local fire rules before you burn anything
Flame
- Blue flame, drips: polyethylene (LDPE/HDPE)
- Blue flame, no drip: polypropylene
- Yellow flame, black smoke: polystyrene
- Clear/blue, sweet smell: PET
- Green flame edges: PVC (toxic; stop)
Smell
- Paraffin/candle: polyethylene
- Sweet, fruity: PET
- Little odor: polypropylene
- Strong, acrid: PVC, ABS
- Styrene: polystyrene
After the flame
- Keeps burning: most polyolefins
- Goes out: PVC and some engineering plastics
- Hard, brittle residue: thermosets
- Soft, moldable residue: thermoplastics
Clear PET bottles (food grade)
- Water bottles, soda bottles, food containers
- Clear or light blue only; colored bottles go in a separate pile
- Caps, rings, and loose labels out for the higher quote
- Food-grade certification for the top price
- Bales at 95% PET or better
Natural HDPE containers
- Milk jugs, detergent bottles, white containers
- Natural (white/clear) color only
- Caps, pumps, and triggers off
- Clean and dry
Clean plastic films
- Shopping bags, bubble wrap, shrink wrap
- Clean, dry, and free of adhesives
- Paper labels and metal ties off
- Minimum bale weights: 1,000+ pounds
Colored HDPE and mixed rigids
- Colored detergent bottles, storage containers
- Mixed rigid plastics #2-#7
- Fewer end markets than clear PET
- Price moves with virgin resin and oil
What moves plastic prices?
Clear PET bales sold at $1.22-1.29/lb in June 2026. Natural HDPE sold at $0.50-0.80/lb. Polypropylene (#5 PP) sold at about $0.55/lb. Track virgin resin on Plastics News and ICIS. Cheap oil makes virgin resin cheaper to use than recycled resin.
- Bottle PCR rules: California: 50% PCR in bottles by 2030. EU: 30% PCR in PET bottles by 2030.
- Packaging EPR: California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington have enacted packaging EPR laws. Timelines differ by state.
- China National Sword: Import restrictions pushed US buyers toward cleaner domestic material.
- Brand PCR targets: Voluntary brand targets can support demand, but they may be revised and are not legal mandates.
- Virgin resin: Low oil prices make new plastic cheaper than recycled resin.
- Dirty loads: Food, mixed color, and metal parts get a bale rejected or repriced.
- Haul cost: Fuel and time exceed the plastic value on a small pickup.
- Bottle bills: Deposit states change how many bottles show up at a scrap buyer versus a redemption center.
Policy watch, updated August 2026
Packaging EPR programs can create demand for clean recycled resin, but rollout is not uniform. Recent challenges to California's and Colorado's programs show why operators should confirm the current state-agency guidance before relying on an implementation date or compliance requirement.
California implementation coverageColorado implementation coverage
Physical contamination
- Metal: caps, pumps, springs
- Paper labels: adhesive left on the flake
- Food residue: oils, sugars, proteins
- Other plastics: multi-layer packaging
- Glass and dirt: broken containers, yard storage
Chemical contamination
- Adhesives: labels, tapes, stickers
- Inks and dyes: printing and coloring agents
- Product residue: cleaners, pesticides
- Additives: plasticizers, flame retardants
- Barrier layers: EVOH, aluminum coatings
Color contamination
- Mixed colors: clear bottles with colored labels
- Dark colors: cannot be lightened in recycling
- Metallic finishes: aluminum coating, metallized films
- Tinted bottles: green or amber in a clear load
- Heat damage: yellowing
PET bottles
1. Sort
- Confirm PET by squeeze test and transparency
- Separate clear from colored bottles
- Pull bottles with metal parts
- Set aside multi-layer packs
2. Clean
- Empty, then rinse if food is left
- Cap and neck ring off (save those separately)
- Peel labels that come off in one pull
- Leave stuck labels; peeling them by hand costs more than they add
3. Check and pack
- Look once more for non-PET pieces
- Sort by size if the buyer asks
- Compress or bale to the buyer's spec
Film
1. Confirm it is film
- It should stretch without tearing
- It should crinkle
- Burn-test a scrap if the resin is unclear
- Woven bags and paper-laminated film out
2. Pull contaminants
- Paper labels and stickers off
- Tape and adhesive patches cut out
- Metal ties, staples, and clips off
- Clear film separate from colored film
3. Bale
- Plan on 1,000 lb loads for sale
- Compress into dense bales
- Keep moisture below 2%
- Label each bale with resin and date
Sorted vs mixed payout
Mixed plastic
$0.03/lb on this page's colored/mixed range. Little prep. Fewer buyers.
Clean, sorted PET
$0.08-0.12/lb for loose bottles. Caps and food out. More buyers will quote it.
Ask the buyer which grades they purchase (clear PET, natural HDPE, film, mixed rigids), the minimum weight, and whether they want bottles loose or baled. Keep each grade in its own container so the scale ticket matches what you sorted.
A pickup with a tarp is enough for household and small commercial loads. Separate bins at the source (clear bottles vs jugs vs film) beat re-sorting in the driveway. RecycleFind lists 5,200+ recycling centers across the United States. Search is free.
What plastic types pay the most?
Clear PET bottles (#1) sell at $0.08-0.12/lb as loose bottles. Natural HDPE containers (#2) sell at $0.06-0.10/lb. Clean film sells at $0.10-0.15/lb when it is dry, free of paper, and baled. Mixed color and mixed resin sell for less. In June 2026, clear PET bales were $1.22-1.29/lb and natural HDPE was $0.50-0.80/lb.
How do you identify plastic without the recycling code?
Use a float test (PET and PVC sink in water; PE and PP float), a burn test (flame color and smell), a flexibility test, and a tap test (PET rings; HDPE thuds). Some items have no code, a worn code, or the wrong stamp. Density, feel, and flame behavior still sort them.
What contamination drops plastic recycling value?
Food residue, mixed colors, mixed resin types, paper labels that will not release, and metal caps, pumps, and springs. Clear bottles with colored labels get paid as mixed color. Multi-material packaging and pumps make a load harder to sell.
How much plastic do you need before a buyer will take it?
Many processors want 1,000+ lb loads for direct sale, especially film. At $0.08-0.12/lb, 50 lbs of sorted PET bottles is $4-6. RecycleFind lists plastic recycling centers; call for the minimum load and grade before you drive.
What do PET and HDPE bales sell for?
Clear PET bales sold at $1.22-1.29/lb in June 2026. Natural HDPE sold at $0.50-0.80/lb. Polypropylene (#5 PP) sold at about $0.55/lb. Seven US states have packaging EPR laws: California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington. California's SB 54 regulations began phased implementation in May 2026. Implementation details and timelines remain state-specific and are subject to ongoing legal and regulatory change. Check the relevant state agency before making compliance or purchasing decisions.
What does a plastic collection route require?
A business license where the city requires one, a vehicle, dry storage, and a buyer that will quote PET, HDPE, and film separately. RecycleFind lists plastic recycling centers. Ask the buyer about color, food residue, and bale size before you collect a route.