I have always been very fond of gardening but more recently I have become more aware of the waste associated with gardening. It had me wondering can you recycle plant pots?
Everything, except the plants, is made from plastic. And most of the plastic is difficult to recycle. There are garden hoses, watering cans, plastic weed sheeting, plastic handles on garden tools, and of course plastic plant pots and labels.
In this article, we focus on plastic plant pots. Head into any local gardening center and you will see plastic pots everywhere. They are the most common containers used by these businesses nowadays.
We have been planting a lot in our garden lately to fill in the empty spaces and unfortunately, we have ended up with a large pile of black plastic pots. So the question is are plant pots recyclable?
What are plastic plant pots made from?
The plastic plant pots from garden centers are usually made from plastic number 5, or polypropylene. Some pots are made from High-density polyethylene, also referred to as HDPE or plastic number 2. These types of pots are generally more rigid than those made from polypropylene.
Both of these types of plastics are highly recyclable however often these pots are black in color. This makes them a lot more difficult to recycle. The black color is good for the horticultural industry as the black color stops light from getting through to the plant’s roots and causing problems.
Why should you recycle plastic plant pots?
Whichever plastic they are made from it will take hundreds of years to break down. As it decomposes it will break into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics that contaminate the environment.
Being so thin and flimsy, plant pots are even more likely than some other plastics to break down into microplastics that can enter the water supply and food chain.
Are plant pots recyclable?
Answering the question “Are plant pots recyclable? is not that simple. There are a few issues that make it more difficult to recycle them than other materials.
These plant pots are commonly made from black plastic. This type of plastic can be difficult for the sorting machines to identify and so is often not accepted by curbside recycling programs.
In addition, many facilities will not accept them because they are usually contaminated with soil.
Then there is the usual issue of whether there is a market for the recycled plastic.
All of these issues play a role in whether your local curbside recycling will accept plastic plant pots. The good news is there is a growing number of specialist programs and larger businesses that are introducing their own recycling programs. You can find more information on these services below.
Where can you recycle them?
If you want to recycle your plastic plant pots start with the following:
- Check with your local authority to see if they accept plastic plant pots. Many local authorities will accept pots and tubs in curbside recycling.
- Talk to your local garden center to see if they have a recycling program for your old plant pots.
- Clean the pots to remove soil and other residue.
- Separate the pots by colour and shape and stack them inside one another.
Where to recycle plant pots in the USA
First, check with your local facility to see if they accept plastic plant pots.
Other places to recycle them:
Home Depot’s plant it again pot recycling program – they recycle empty plant pots with their partner East Jordon Plastics
Lowe’s – They will accept plastic plant trays, pots, and tags for recycling in their garden center. They reuse what they can and recycle the rest.
Where to recycle plant pots in Canada
Home Depot’s plant it again pot recycling program – they recycle empty plant pots with their partner East Jordon Plastics
Loblaw – They have been accepting pots and flats in their garden center for more than ten years. To date, they have recycled more than 3.6 million kilograms of plastic through their program.
In Vancouver they are accepted but not in Toronto.
Where to recycle plant pots in the UK
First, check with your local facility to see if they accept plastic plant pots.
Dobbies Garden Centres – offer a pot return service for plastic pots and trays. They take all shapes, sizes, and colors. Give them a wash before you drop them off.
Nottcuts – Not only do Nottcuts have a recycling program with plans on introducing it to all their garden centers through 2022 but the majority of their plastic pots are made from recycled materials. You will be supporting the circular economy just by purchasing one of their plants. Then you can send it back for recycling again. They also have a whole lot of other sustainable programs so be sure to check them out.
Horticultural Trade Association (HTA) – has a plant pot take-back scheme available to members.
Where to recycle plant pots in Australia
Many councils will accept empty plant pots so be sure to check with your local facility to see if they accept them. If not then check with your local garden center.
PP5 Recycling – working to solve the problem of plastic waste from plant pots and labels PP5 is working with retail and commercial garden centers across Australia to help them and you recycle your plant pots and labels. They have a location map to help you find a participating center near you.
Polymer Processor has a drop-off location in Braeside Victoria.
Where to recycle plant pots in New Zealand
Mitre 10 stores in New Zealand have a Pot recycling program.
What are recycled plant pots made into?
In many cases the recycled plastic from old plant pots is used to make new plant pots. This is a great option and if you can encourage your local garden center to use recycled pots it is a great help.
The plastic, commonly polypropylene or high-density polyethylene can be used to make other recycled products also.
How to reduce plastic in your garden
Here are some tips for reducing or reusing plastic in the garden.
- Grow your own plants from seeds.
- Reuse your pots to grow seedlings.
- Ask friends and family if they can use the pots or trays.
- Join a local buy nothing group to see if anyone else can use them.
- A buy nothing group can be a great way to get new plants without buying from a garden center and minus the plastic pots too.
- Talk to your local garden center to see if they might swap to using recycled plastic pots to help the market grow.
- Look for alternatives like compostable pots, plantable pots.
Sources
- David Gregory-Kumar, 2018, Big changes to recycling black plastic, BBC
