How to Recycle Plastic Drums

Plastic drums are considered rigid or hard plastics and can be recycled as a result. Recycling your unwanted plastic drums, instead of simply trashing or disposing of them, will benefit the environment by reducing waste. According to the Plastic Drum Institute, recycling a plastic drum is the equivalent of recycling 500 beverage bottles or 2,000 plastic grocery bags. Play your part in protecting the environment by taking your plastic drums to a reputable recycling center today.

Locate a recycling center in your area that accepts plastic drums. Browse through a phone book to discover recycling centers in your area or conduct a quick search on Earth 911 to find reputable recycling centers in your area that accept plastic drums. Enter “plastic” in the “Find Recycling Centers for” box. Enter your zip code, address, city or state in the “Near” box. Click the “Search” button to see a list of recycling centers in your area that accept plastic drums. Choose a recycling center that accepts polyethylene (HDPE), poly vinyl chloride (PVC) or polystyrene (PS) plastic for maximum success. Contact the recycling center beforehand to ensure they accept plastic drums.

Thoroughly rinse each plastic drum with water. Certain recycling centers may not accept dirty plastic drums. Flip the drum over, with the opening facing the ground, to allow the plastic drum to thoroughly dry.

Place the plastic drums in the back of a truck or onto an attached trailer. Secure the drums in place with tie-downs or bungee cords.

Deliver the plastic drums to the recycling center. According to the Plastic Drum Institute, the recycling center will usually shred and grind the drum to recover the material value of the plastic and then re-mold it into a new product, such as a pallet, truck bed box, corrugated drainage pipe, tire, park bench or a new plastic drum.