Philly wants your plastics

Philadelphia's residential recycling program has kicked into overdrive. Instead of just ones and twos, the city now is accepting everything with the number one through seven.

That means they no longer want just milk jugs and soda bottles, but also yogurt tubs, plastic cups, take-out containers and more.

So no longer will committed city recyclists have to drive all the way out to Pottstown's funky Recycling Services nonprofit (unless, of course, they want to get rid of crushed juice boxes, wine corks, aluminum foil, bottle caps, plastic straws, Tyvek envelopes -- pant, pant -- dead flashlight batteries, Styrofoam, candle nubs, coat hangers, vegetable oil, and any number of things that founder Jim Crater has found markets for).

The city began accepting the new goods Aug. 1.

Examples of items in the new categories are:
3: Rigid plastic containers and juice bottles.
4: Plastic tubs and lids from butter, margarine or similar products.
5: Yogurt containers and deli trays.
6: Plastic cups, plates and takeout containers.
7: Many mixed plastic containers and some plastic products.

The numbering system only goes through 7. (The city will not recycle plastic bags, PVC or Styrofoam.) As in the past, all items can be placed in one recycling bin, which is known as "single stream."

For more details about the program, including rewards for participating, go to www.phillyrecyclingpays.com or call 215-685-RECYCLE (7329).