Real examples of common recycling myths: not all plastics can be recycled

Let’s start where the confusion actually happens: in your kitchen, office, and grocery store. When people ask for examples of common recycling myths: not all plastics can be recycled, they’re usually thinking of the stuff they touch every day.

Here are some real‑world problem items that look recyclable but usually aren’t in curbside programs:

• Thin plastic grocery and produce bags
• Cling film and shrink wrap around multipacks
• Black plastic takeout containers
• Foam cups and foam food trays (polystyrene)
• Coffee cup lids and iced drink domed lids
• Plastic utensils and straws
• Pouches and multilayer snack bags
• “Compostable” or “bioplastic” cups and utensils

All of these are examples of common recycling myths: not all plastics can be recycled in practice, even if they carry a chasing‑arrows symbol or feel “recyclable” in your hand.

Why the chasing‑arrows symbol is one of the best examples of confusion

One powerful example of how we got here is the resin identification code—the little number inside the chasing‑arrows triangle. For decades, people were told that triangle meant “recyclable.” In reality, it just identifies the plastic type.

The Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guides (updated guidance released in 2023) warn companies not to imply recyclability unless most consumers actually have access to programs that recycle that material.

Here’s the key distinction that underpins many examples of common recycling myths: not all plastics can be recycled:

• Technically recyclable: In a lab or in specialized facilities, a material could be recycled.
• Recyclable where you live: Your local facility has the equipment, buyers, and markets to handle it today.

Thin films, foam, and mixed plastics are technically recyclable under some conditions. But as of 2024, the vast majority of US curbside programs still do not accept them because they jam equipment, contaminate other materials, or have low market value. The EPA’s national recycling strategy, updated in 2023, explicitly highlights contamination from plastics as a major barrier to effective recycling.

Real examples: when “all plastics are recyclable” goes wrong

To make this concrete, let’s walk through some of the best examples of this myth in action.

Thin grocery bags and plastic film

Those flimsy grocery bags and produce bags are classic examples of common recycling myths: not all plastics can be recycled at the curb. Many people toss them into the bin thinking, “It’s plastic, so it must be fine.” What actually happens is:

• The bags wrap around sorting equipment like giant rubber bands.
• Facilities shut down lines to cut them out, costing time and money.
• They often end up landfilled anyway.

Some grocery stores and retailers run separate film recycling drop‑offs, which can handle clean bags and wraps. But that’s a different system. Bag in curbside bin? Usually a no.

Authoritative reference: The US EPA explains how plastic bags and film cause problems in material recovery facilities (MRFs) and why most curbside programs reject them (EPA, Plastics Recycling).

Cling wrap and shrink wrap

Cling film around leftovers or shrink wrap around bottled water is another example of this myth. It’s stretchy, it’s clear, it looks like the plastic bottles you can recycle. But it’s often made from different polymers and additives, and it tangles in sorting machines just like bags.

Even where store drop‑off programs accept some film, they usually exclude food‑contaminated wrap. So that greasy cling wrap from last night’s pizza? Trash, not recycling.

Black plastic takeout containers

Black plastic is one of the most frustrating examples of common recycling myths: not all plastics can be recycled, because it often carries a recycling symbol and feels sturdy enough to reuse.

The problem is optical sorting. Many MRFs rely on near‑infrared scanners to identify plastics. Black pigments absorb that light, so the scanners literally can’t “see” the items. They drop off the belt into the residue stream and head to landfill or incineration.

Some facilities are upgrading their technology, but as of 2024, black plastic is still widely unrecyclable in curbside systems across North America and Europe.

Foam cups and foam food trays (polystyrene)

Foam is a textbook example of a plastic that’s technically recyclable but rarely recycled.

• It’s mostly air, so it’s bulky but very light—terrible economics for hauling.
• It breaks into tiny pieces that contaminate other materials.
• Food residue is hard to remove.

The American Chemistry Council lists some specialized foam recycling programs, but the US EPA notes that foam is rarely accepted in curbside bins and is a significant litter and microplastics problem in waterways (EPA, Trash-Free Waters).

Coffee cup lids and plastic utensils

People love to toss coffee cup lids and plastic forks into the bin as a feel‑good move. These are everyday examples of common recycling myths: not all plastics can be recycled:

• Lids and utensils are small, lightweight, and easily fall through sorting screens.
• They’re often made from mixed or lower‑value plastics with weak markets.

Many MRFs treat them as contamination even if they share a resin number with accepted items. In practice, they’re trash.

Pouches and multilayer snack bags

Those shiny chip bags, baby food pouches, and pet food bags are some of the best examples of why “plastic” isn’t one thing.

They’re made of multiple layers—plastic, aluminum, sometimes paper—laminated together for shelf life. You can’t economically separate those layers at scale. As of 2024, most municipal programs still send them straight to landfill.

When brands advertise “store drop‑off only” or “mail‑back recycling,” that’s a red flag that these are not part of normal curbside systems.

“Compostable” and bioplastic items

Here’s a sneakier example of common recycling myths: not all plastics can be recycled: compostable cups, bioplastic utensils, and plant‑based packaging.

They’re designed for industrial composting, not for plastic recycling streams. When they end up in the blue bin, they contaminate the regular plastic bales because they behave differently when melted.

On the flip side, when they land in a landfill without oxygen, they often don’t break down quickly at all. The US Composting Council and many municipal programs warn residents to keep compostable plastics out of recycling—and, unless you have access to industrial composting, to be cautious about assuming they’ll actually decompose.

How 2024–2025 trends are reshaping these myths

Since China’s National Sword policy in 2018, global plastic scrap markets have tightened. That shift continues to ripple through 2024–2025:

• US recycling programs have narrowed accepted plastics. Many cities now only take bottles and jugs (often #1 and #2) because those have the strongest markets.
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws in states like Maine, Oregon, and Colorado are pushing brands to rethink packaging that can’t be recycled in real‑world systems.
• Chemical recycling is heavily marketed as a solution, but the US National Academies and independent researchers have raised questions about its environmental performance and scalability.

These trends reinforce the core point: the best examples of common recycling myths: not all plastics can be recycled are the everyday items that don’t have stable buyers or infrastructure behind them.

The US EPA’s National Recycling Strategy (EPA, National Recycling Strategy) emphasizes improving actual recycling rates, not just collecting more material. That means saying no to problematic plastics, even if it feels counterintuitive.

How to spot real examples of plastics your local program actually wants

If you’re looking for examples of common recycling myths: not all plastics can be recycled, it helps to flip the script and look at what does belong in most curbside bins.

Most US programs in 2024 still focus on:

• Rigid plastic bottles and jugs (think soda, milk, detergent) with necks smaller than the base
• Sometimes, wider rigid containers like yogurt tubs and butter tubs, depending on local rules

Patterns to trust:

• Shape matters more than number. If your city says “bottles and jugs only,” follow that, even if other items have the same resin number.
• Local rules beat packaging claims. If your city’s website says “no #6 plastic,” believe that over the recycling logo on your takeout box.

Your city or county recycling page is the authoritative source. Many US municipalities now publish clear “yes/no” lists and even searchable tools. For example, New York City’s Department of Sanitation and San Francisco’s Recology both maintain detailed online guides that spell out which plastics are accepted.

Why “wishcycling” makes recycling worse

“Wishcycling” is the habit of tossing questionable items into the recycling bin and hoping they’ll be sorted out. It’s fueled by the myth that all plastics can be recycled and by not understanding these examples of common recycling myths: not all plastics can be recycled.

Wishcycling causes problems up and down the system:

• Higher contamination rates. US recycling contamination averages around 17–25% in many communities, according to recent municipal reports.
• Lower material value. Buyers pay less for bales full of trash, which makes programs financially shaky.
• Worker safety issues. Tangled plastic film and sharp broken items increase risks for workers.

The paradox: putting less in your recycling bin—if you’re following local rules—usually leads to more material actually getting recycled.

Smarter habits: avoiding the most common plastic myths

If you remember nothing else from these examples of common recycling myths: not all plastics can be recycled, keep these practical habits:

• Treat plastic bags, film, and wrap as trash unless you have a verified store drop‑off.
• Assume black plastic, foam, utensils, and straws are trash unless your local program explicitly accepts them (most don’t).
• Keep compostable and bioplastic items out of recycling; only put them in compost if you have access to an industrial composting program that accepts them.
• Follow shape‑based rules from your city: bottles and jugs are usually in; weird shapes are often out.
• When in doubt, check your local guidelines instead of guessing.

These simple choices do more for the environment than stuffing the bin with every plastic you touch.

FAQ: examples of plastic recycling myths people still believe

What are some real examples of plastic items people mistakenly recycle?

Common examples of mistakenly recycled plastics include grocery bags, bubble mailers, cling wrap, black takeout containers, foam cups, plastic cutlery, and shiny chip bags. These are strong examples of common recycling myths: not all plastics can be recycled, because most curbside programs treat them as contamination even when they carry a recycling symbol.

Is any plastic with a recycling symbol actually recyclable?

No. The symbol with a number is a resin code, not a recyclability guarantee. Many examples of common recycling myths: not all plastics can be recycled come from assuming that triangle means “yes.” Local rules and available markets determine what gets recycled, not the icon on the packaging.

Are plastic water bottles a safe example of something that can be recycled?

Clear PET water and soda bottles are usually accepted and are one of the more reliably recycled plastics in the US. They’re a better example of a plastic your program likely wants. Just empty, lightly rinse, and put the cap back on if your local guidance says so.

What’s one example of a plastic that’s technically recyclable but not in my city?

Foam polystyrene (like foam coffee cups and takeout boxes) is a prime example of a technically recyclable plastic that’s almost never accepted curbside. It illustrates the broader point behind these examples of common recycling myths: not all plastics can be recycled in real‑world systems.

How can I quickly check if a plastic item is recyclable where I live?

Skip the symbol and look up your city or county recycling page. Many US programs have searchable tools or simple “yes/no” charts. If an item isn’t listed as accepted, treat it as trash rather than becoming another example of common recycling myths: not all plastics can be recycled playing out in your bin.