I've pretty much given up trying to recycle plastic, and instead throw it in the trash. It's toxic to make (I think?), contaminates food and water when you heat it, and--apparently--can not be recycled safely or efficiently. I realize I can't remove it from life entirely, but I'm actively avoiding it where I can and replacing it as opportunity permits.
I've heard it said that plastic is better off sequestered in landfills than recycled, to reduce the amount of microplastics getting into the environment.
>I realize I can't remove it from life entirely, but I'm actively avoiding it where I can and replacing it as opportunity permits.
I realized this as well and have practically eliminated single-use plastics from my life except for those being those needed for health and safety reasons, like the blister packs that some medicines come in or bottles holding household chemicals.
Even with household chemicals, a strategy to minimize plastic use is to buy high-quality commercial applicators that can be reused for years and then purchase the product in bulk or concentrated form.
It isn't as easy as it should be, but at the same time it isn't difficult. It just requires time and effort.
When I discovered that bar shampoos and soaps that come in cardboard boxes contain the same ingredients as their liquid counterparts, and were less expensive because you weren't paying to transport water or mold a plastic bottle, it started a landslide of plastic avoidance.
