Decoding Plastic Recycling

Packaging experts say that more and more of what we buy at the store comes wrapped in plastic. But it's not always clear what you can do with that empty plastic container once you're finished with it. Rebecca Williams visits some experts to sort out the confusion about recycling plastic:

Next time you have a plastic bottle in your hand, check out the bottom. You'll probably find a little number with a recycle symbol around it. You might think: great, this is recyclable. But it turns out those handy little symbols aren't meant for us consumers at all.

"It's created nothing but trouble through history because people see that and think it means the container is recyclable."

Patty Moore is president of Moore Recycling Associates. It's a consulting firm that focuses on plastics recycling. She says those little numbers were put in place so the recycling industry could know what kind o...
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Host Intro: Packaging experts say that more and more of what we buy at the store comes wrapped in plastic. But it's not always clear what you can do with that empty plastic container once you're finished with it. Rebecca Williams visits some experts to sort out the confusion about recycling plastic:.