UNION COUNTY, NJ — The Union County Board of County Commissioners and the Bureau of Recycling and Planning remind residents to check the numbers on their plastic products before disposing of them. Plastics labeled with the Nos. 1, 2 and 5 only can be recycled curbside. Plastics marked with No. 5 are only accepted for curbside recycling in Berkeley Heights, Clark, Fanwood, Garwood, Linden, New Providence, Plainfield and Summit. Plastics with the Nos. 3, 4, 6 and 7 should not be placed in curbside recycling bins.
The following plastics can be recycled in your curbside bin:
No. 1 – PET or PETE – Polyethylene terephthalate: clear, rigid plastic, such as soda bottles, water bottles, salad dressing, mouthwash, etc.;
No. 2 – HDPE – High-density polyethylene – common white or colored plastic, such as milk containers, shampoo bottles, detergent bottles and juice bottles; and
No. 5 – PP – Polypropylene – hard but flexible plastic, such as yogurt containers, sour cream containers, margarine/butter containers and prescription bottles.
There are currently seven common types of plastics in circulation, Nos. 1 through 7, and not all of them may be recycled curbside or at all. Always check the product or product packaging before disposing of your plastics. Also, it is helpful if the containers are rinsed, dried and as free of any food or debris as possible.
For more information, upcoming dates and directions to all Union County recycling programs and locations, visit the Bureau of Recycling and Planning website at ucnj.org/recycle or call the Union County Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889.