Plastics Recycling

Alexander Tullo's article on recycling prompts me to mention another aspect to plastic recycling that wasn't touched on in his article (C&EN, Oct.15, 2007, page 15). It certainly appears that recycling bottles and other containers would increase significantly with more public education, but there is one area in which the packing industry needs to be made to take action.

I've been frustrated for some time over the lack of identification of the plastics used in all sorts of bags and wrappers, such as those for potato chips, birdseed and pet food, vegetables and fruit, meats and cheeses, and the internal wrappers in cracker and cookie boxes. The packing industry should be required to identify all these materials for the purpose of recycling. Perhaps laws have to be passed to close this loophole in plastic recycling. I was surprised to find upon surveying my household that 80% of the bag packages had no recycling identification.

Stan Manatt
La Cañada, Calif.