How to Recycle Six-Pack Rings
Photo-degradable or conventional plastic ring carriers that hold multi-packs of cans or bottles. Thin ring carriers tangle sorting equipment and are excluded from standard PE film drop-off lists such as NexTrex.
Quick answer
Cut every loop on plastic six-pack rings before disposal so they cannot trap wildlife. They are not curbside recyclable, and NexTrex film programs list six-pack rings as do-not-include. After cutting, place them in the trash unless a local program expressly accepts them. Before you go, confirm that a local recycling center accepts the material in its current condition.
- Recycling route
- Special handling
- Recycling code
- #4 LDPE
How to Prepare
- 1Snip each loop with scissors before the rings leave your kitchen
- 2Do not put rings in curbside recycling
- 3Do not put rings in grocery store PE film / NexTrex bins unless the posted list explicitly allows them (most ban them)
- 4Prefer cans sold in cardboard carriers or glue-pack formats when you have a choice
Where to Recycle
- Household trash after cutting loops
- Brand or municipal programs only if explicitly listed
Special Instructions
Wildlife entanglement is the reason for cutting loops, even when the rings go to landfill. Store film recycling is for stretchy PE bags and wraps; six-pack rings are on NexTrex do-not-include lists. Some brands now use cardboard or plastic-free carriers instead.
Environmental Impact
Intact rings can ensnare birds and marine animals. Cutting loops removes that risk. Material recovery for ring carriers is uncommon in US residential recycling.
Sustainable Alternatives
- Beverages in cardboard multi-packs
- Glue-pack cans without rings
- Store brands using paperboard carriers
Official guidance and resources
Accepted items and drop-off rules can vary by location. Check the destination before you go.
What’s Accepted
Not Accepted
- Curbside recycling bins
- NexTrex / store PE film bins (typically prohibited)
- Compost (conventional plastic rings are not compostable; only certified compostable carriers belong in compost streams that accept them)
FAQs
Why cut the rings if they are going to trash anyway?
Landfill or littered rings can still trap animals. Cutting every loop is standard wildlife-safety advice and takes seconds.
Can six-pack rings go with plastic bags at the grocery store?
Usually no. NexTrex education materials list six-pack rings among items not to include in film collection.
Are newer compostable rings recyclable as plastic?
No. Compostable carriers belong only in compost systems that accept them, never in PE film recycling.
Is there a mail-back for rings?
No widely verified national consumer mail-back turned up in research. Cut and trash remains the default US household path.
Related recycling guides
- How to recycle Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)
- How to recycle Agricultural Film
- How to recycle PET Bottles (#1)
- How to recycle Mixed Plastics (#7)
- How to recycle HDPE Containers (#2)
- How to recycle Polystyrene Foam (#6)
- How to recycle PVC Pipes (#3)
- How to recycle Polypropylene Containers (#5)
- How to recycle Plastic Bags (#4)
Recycle six-pack rings
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