What do you do with your empty laundry detergent bottles? This is a common question asked by many, but unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of confusing information about what to do with laundry detergent bottles.
Therefore, continue reading to learn what the best way to dispose of laundry detergent bottles is and more!
Can You Recycle Laundry Detergent Bottles?
You can recycle laundry detergent bottles. All you must do is clean the bottle and place it in the recycling bin. However, if your local recycling center does not accept laundry detergent bottles, there are other ways you can recycle them such as upcycling.
As a concerned person about our environment’s health, keep reading to find out about recycling laundry detergent bottles and creative ways to use laundry detergent bottles to save the environment and make the world a better place.
Where To Recycle Laundry Detergent Bottles?
The first thing to do is check with your local recycling center.
This should be no problem as most facilities take these bottles, however, if your local recycling center does not take the bottles, you can check with plastic manufacturing companies.
What Materials Are Laundry Detergent Bottles Made Of?
Laundry detergent bottles are made of HDPE plastic.
Furthermore, HDPE stands for High–Density Polyethylenic which is made from petroleum.
Additionally, this is a very popular plastic, for example, it is used for many things like the following:
- Laundry Detergent Bottles
- Plastic Bottles
- Piping
- Wood
- And many other things
Are Laundry Detergent Bottles Bad For The Environment?
Laundry Detergent bottles are awful for the environment, and this is because the bottles are made from HDPE, which is made from petroleum.
Therefore, because of this, most plastic ends up in landfills, underdeveloped countries, or the ocean.
Furthermore, when laundry detergent bottles end up in landfills, it can take centuries before it biodegrades.
Additionally, according to National Geographic, “Eight million tons of plastic is dumped in the ocean every year.”
This is a major problem because when plastic falls into the ocean, it stays in the ocean for a long time.
Furthermore, the plastic then breaks down into tiny pieces and injures much of marine life.
Interestingly, the Washington Post states that “By 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the World’s ocean, study says. ”
How To Dispose Of Laundry Detergent Bottles?
Laundry detergent bottles are made out of the #2 plastic which is recyclable at almost any recycling facility.
However, if you’re unsure if they will be accepted or not you can check with your local recycling center and see if they take laundry detergent bottles.
Furthermore, if they don’t, then check with local plastic manufacturing companies or Earth911 for more information.
Here Is A-List of Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergent And Packaging
Eco-friendly detergents are better for the environment than other detergents and this is because the packaging is usually made of recycled materials or is easily recyclable materials.
Furthermore, the following list is eco-friendly laundry detergent.
- Seventh Generation
- Mrs. Meyers Clean Day
- Biokleen Laundry Detergent
- Dropps Laundry Detergent
- Hex Performance Laundry Detergent
This list is to get you started and are some of the more popular eco-friendly detergents, however, you can also check out amazon for more detergents.
How To Reuse And Upcycle Laundry Detergent Bottles
If you put on your creative thinking cap, you can think of creative ways to upcycle laundry detergent bottles. Here are some creative ways to get you started.
Make A Flowerpot For Your Porch Or Garden
You can make a flowerpot by cutting the laundry detergent bottle in two and using the bottom half as a flowerpot.
Have Fun On The Beach With A Beach Bucket
If you don’t want to make a flowerpot, you can cut the bottle in two and use it as a beach bucket or you can fill the bucket with sand and make sandcastles on the beach.
Arts & Crafts Family Time
You can also use the detergent bottles for arts and crafts.
For example, you can use the bottle to store art pencils or crayons.
Never Be Without A Dustpan Again
Cut the bottle in two and remove the top and then you will have an upcycled dustpan!
Pet Scooper To Clean Up Your Pet’s Accidents
Additionally, you can cut the laundry detergent bottle and use it as a food scooper for your dog or cat. Just be sure to wash the scooper well.
Save Away For A Rainy Day
You can use the laundry detergent bottles as a piggy bank for your spare change.
Give Your Winged Friends A Home
Another idea is to decorate the bottle and use it as a birdhouse or bird feeder.
Use As A Weight Set
You can fill the bottles with water, gravel, or sand and make homemade weights.
Make Creative Toys To Exercise The Mind
You can use the bottles to make toy by making a car or a castle or use a few bottles and create a giant space station.
Funnel For Emergency Times
You can cut off the top and use it as a funnel if you need to funnel water, oil, or antifreeze.
Furthermore, those are just a few ideas of how you can reuse laundry detergent bottles and make a cleaner environment in the process.
Here Are Some Organizations That Can Help You Become More Involved With The Environment
If you desire to learn more about recycling and want to become more involved with saving the planet. The following organizations are some great places to start.
Save The Ocean With Ocean Blue Project
Ocean Blue project was founded in 2012 in Newport, Oregon. They are dedicated to saving the oceans, beaches, and wildlife.
Cleaner Air With The Clean Air Task Force
The Clean Air Task Force is wanting to reduce climate change by reducing carbon and other climate emissions.
Help Bring Justice And Make The Planet Breathe Better
The Coalition for Rainforest Nations desires to preserve the rainforest and bring equity to all people.
Solve The Environment Problems With Science
The Union of Concerned Scientists desires to bring practical solutions to our planet’s environmental problems through the use of science.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on whether you can recycle bleach bottles, whether you can recycle metal water bottles, and whether you can recycle lotion bottles, tubes, and pumps.
Conclusion
Laundry detergent bottles are recyclable as they are made with #2 plastics, therefore simply rinse them out and then place them with the rest of your recycling in your recycle bin.
Furthermore, recycling your laundry detergent bottles does not have to be complicated. In fact, with some creativity, we can find other uses for the bottles if you do not wish to throw them away.