Recycle more plastic; it's OK

The rules are changing in Goodyear, Litchfield Park and Surprise, allowing residents to toss more plastic into their recycling bins.

Waste Management of Arizona, which provides curbside pickup services to the three cities, is expanding its recycling program. As a result, residents can also recycle containers like medicine and vitamin bottles in addition soda, water and milk bottles.

"There's definitely a sustainable market out there that wants these materials," said Don Cassano, a Waste Management spokesman.

Typically, West Valley recycling programs accept only plastics labeled with Nos. "1" or "2" (the number indicates the type of resin used in the product) and the recycling symbol (three arrows in the shape of a triangle).

Now, Goodyear and Surprise residents can recycle narrow screw-top containers labeled with anything from "1" through "7."

In Litchfield Park, the service starts in November, when the city's solid-waste contract with Waste Management takes effect.

The three communities are the first to offer the expanded plastic recycling in the West Valley. Some East Valley cities, including Chandler and Gilbert, already run similar programs.

Goodyear has been working for about six months to add the service, according to Brian Barnes, deputy director of public works.

"Somebody's always got to get their foot in the door and kick it open a little bit. And once that happens, it's good for everybody," Barnes said.

Cassano said there's no cost to cities for the added service. Waste Management sells the plastic to processors in China. He acknowledged the irony in shipping plastics so far for recycling but said it was the most cost-effective solution.

"China is the primary user of almost all this stuff," Cassano said.