The Closure and Container Manufacturers Association, a packaging trade group, and the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers are urging consumers to leave the "caps on" when recycling plastic bottles.
Plastic bottle caps and their rings consist of polypropylene which is a highly desired, dense post-consumer plastic. When captured, the caps and rings are processed with #5 plastics, melted down and recycled into a wide variety of items, including: signal lights, battery cables, broom and toothbrush handles, ice scrapers, bins, buckets and barrels, landscape borders, rakes, and auto battery cases.
By getting into the habit of twisting the caps back on an empty bottle before tossing the bottle in the recycle bin, consumers ensure that the caps will be recycled and not end up as persistent litter in the environment or thrown in the trash to be burned.
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During beach clean-ups, plastic caps can be separated out to be recycled.
