Can Plastic Caps Be Reused?

Can plastic caps be reused?
Caps are used in a variety of applications, from cosmetics to food. They are designed to protect the product from spills and damage while also enhancing the look of the packaging.

Whether you can recycle them or not depends on your local recycling facility and the materials they accept. Some facilities require you to remove them before dropping them off, while others will refuse them.
Most plastic water bottles are made of polyethylene terephthalate (#1 PET) or polypropylene (#5 PP). However, caps are usually made from LDPE, which is a different type of plastic than the bottle they seal shut. LDPE has a much higher melting point than PP, so when the two are mixed together, it causes problems for the recycling industry.

Some municipal recycling programs in Canada accept plastic caps and will separate them from the bottles. The problem is that these containers are too small to be sorted properly, and the caps often fall off conveyor belts during the sorting process.

They can also be very dangerous. They tend to explode when they're baled, which is the process that most recycling companies use to transport plastic wastes.

If you're concerned about the environment, you might consider donating your bottles and caps to a charity. This helps raise money for a cause and reduces the amount of landfill space in your community.
In some cities, you can even repurpose your bottle caps into cute magnets for your fridge or turn them into small flowers. You can also make a mosaic of your own design using your collection of bottle caps.