How to Recycle Plastic in Illinois

Recycling plastic in Illinois can help reduce your carbon footprint and, in some cases, earn money. Recycling facilities are located throughout Illinois, with some paying for plastics and others relying upon donations. Before bringing any material for recycling, ensure that none of the plastics contained forbidden substances, such as motor oil. Contact the facility beforehand to make sure the material you have will be accepted.

• 1

  Empty all contents from the plastic container. If needed, rinse out the container with water. This helps to cut down on odors that might be caused while the material is waiting to be taken to the recycling center. Labels do not have to be removed.

• 2

  Sort out the plastic according to the number marked on the item. The number on the plastic corresponds to the product that the plastic held. Some recycling centers will take only items marked with a 1 or 2 because these plastics tend to be found in drinking bottles and food trays that can be heated in ovens. Plastics marked with a 3 are PVC-based plastics and are usually not accepted by recycling centers.

• 3

  Use the Illinois Plastic Recycling Network website to locate the recycling facility you wish to use. This site lists both facilities that pay for recyclable plastic and those that accept it only for donation. The site also explains which kinds of plastics facilities will accept.

• 4

  Contact your city waste management office to find out what kinds of plastics will be accepted. In addition, the recycling office will tell you how the plastic should be processed. Some require it to be rinsed, while others will accept it in any condition. Many cities will provide curbside recycling containers for residents to use. Macon County requires that plastic containers be rinsed and have caps put back on the container. Naperville, which began curbside recycling in 1986, making it the first community in Illinois to offer the service, also requires that containers be rinsed. Make sure to find out the pickup days as well. In order to save money for its 2010 budget, Chicago cut back on the days it offers curbside recycling.