Education
DISCLAIMER: Recycling rules differ by location.
This website was made using information from the City of San Luis Obispo!
17.6 Billion Pounds of Plastic
Packaging that ends up in our oceans every year
Equal to 350,000 Trucks
Emptied into our ocean every year
What items can be recycled?
Paper Products: newspaper, magazine, mail, paper bag, cardboard, office paper
Plastic Products: plastic bottles with necks (plastic #1 and #2)
Look for PET and HDPE labels (see below)
Glass Products: bottles, drinking glasses, jars
Metal Products: aluminum foil and trays, clean food cans
Remember: When in doubt, throw it out!
Contamination can ruin your recycling efforts!
Easy to Recycle
(Polyethylene Terephthalate)
Readily Recyclable
(High-Density Polyethylene)
Rarely Recycled
(Polyvinyl Chloride)
Not Often Recycled
(Low-Density Polyethylene)
Sometimes Recycled
(Polypropylene)
Barely Recycled
(Polystyrene)
Traditionally Not Recycled
(Miscellaneous)
Use It Up: Before discarding, try to use every bit of what you have.
Reducing waste starts with getting the most out of each item!
Compost What You Can: Organic waste like food scraps and yard waste can be composted.
This keeps valuable nutrients in the cycle and out of landfills.
Donate or Share: If it’s still usable, someone else might benefit.
Donate items, offer them to friends, or find community-sharing platforms.
Recycle Properly: Sort and recycle all materials accepted by your local recycling program.
Be mindful of guidelines to ensure recyclables don’t end up as waste.
Dispose Responsibly: As a last resort, you can dispose of your items.
If you’re unsure, it’s often best to throw it away to avoid contaminating your and others' recycling efforts.