COVINGTON, Ky. – A “Recycle Right Wednesday” tip last October sought to unravel the mysteries of recycling plastic with an ironclad rule: Ignore the numeral inside the “chasing arrows” symbol and look at the shape. If the opening is smaller than the base, it is recyclable. If it’s not … it’s not.

 

But then Rumpke Waste & Recycling “went tubby” … and now it’s not so simple.

 

Let’s clear things up. The “opening/base” comparison is still a good rule of thumb, but now there’s a corollary: You also can recycle any “tub” that also has a No. 5 on the bottom.

 

That’s a good thing. A great thing even, based on the feedback we’ve received in the last month.

 

But what’s a “tub?”

 

Examples help: Containers that held butter, cottage cheese, yogurt, sour cream, whipped topping, fruit cups (think applesauce and Mandarin oranges), gelatin and pudding snacks, and specialty dips.

 

Remember to empty and rinse out the container, put the lid back on it, and don’t stack or bag them. Oh, and these things still can’t be recycled: coffee pods, to-go food containers, and “clam shells.”

 

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