Can we recycle the plastic rings that hold six packs of pop? I put several varieties of plastic in my curbside bin. But, it seems like I’ve seen or read that these rings are not welcome in the bin. What’s your advice? Eric
Dear Eric,
If you live in the City of Indianapolis and are using Republic for your curbside recycling, your 6-pack rings are as welcome in your recycling bin as they are at a BYOB party.
Since 1989, all 6-pack rings have been made with photodegradable Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE #4) plastic. That means that the plastic will break apart when exposed to UV rays.
6-pack rings got a bad rap in the ‘80s when turtles and other aquatic wildlife were found entangled in carelessly discarded packaging. Now that all 6-pack rings sold in the U.S. are required by law to be LDPE #4, the risk of life threatening entanglement is much lower. Considering that plastic rings are minimal, in terms of transportation weight and overall packaging, some view 6-pack rings as the most sustainable type of multipack packaging. If you want to go a step further, I’m a big fan of SodaStream for eliminating individual single-serve cans altogether.
While the risk for injuring aquatic wildlife is much lower these days, this 3-minute puppet show and music video will have you cutting up about plastic 6-pack rings.
Got a “green” question? Ask Renee! Just email askrenee@indianalivinggreen.com.
