Are plastic plant pots recyclable?
After a day of gardening, it’s sometimes hard to figure out what to do with all of those plastic plant pots. Look and you’ll notice that a lot of them are marked “recyclable.” But unfortunately, that doesn’t mean that your local recycling program accepts them. In fact, many cities don’t.
Luckily, plastic plant pots are pretty easy to keep out of the landfill in just about any city. Lowe’s is one store that accepts plastic plant pots at all its locations nationally.
What’s the deal?
Often cities don't accept plant pots for recycling because of the dirt factor. When dirt and recycled paper come in contact, the paper can become unfit for recycling. Putting a dirty pot in with other recyclables can ultimately do more harm than good.
Even when clean, pots might not be accepted for recycling curbside because they can be made from various plastic resins — including polystyrene (the same plastic as Solo® cups). And polystyrene isn’t commonly recyclable either. For these reasons and more, some cities recycle plant pots, while others don’t.
Re-usefulness = ★★★★★
It didn't take much digging to discover empty plant pots are surprisingly useful around the garden. Plastic plant pots can also be easily upcycled into upscale looking pots and even a birdhouse, earning them a stellar 5-stars for re-usefulness!
As a basket-and-colander combo, to carry and clean freshly picked veggies:
As a lightweight filler when transplanting. Larger plastic pots can be used as filler too by breaking them into smaller pieces:
To keep plants from spreading:
A little twine makes it hard to guess this is a cheap plastic pot:
Plastic pot turned birdhouse:
See more of our favorite Plastic Pot Reuse Ideas on Pinterest.
If reusing them around the house isn't appealing, Lowe’s wants them. They have a special Plastic Pot Recycling Program that accepts pots for reuse regardless of where they were purchased. Just drop them off at any Lowe's, nationwide.
If you don't have a Lowe's in town, ask your local nursery if they want them. Many do.
photo © Miosotis Jade, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
DROP-OFF TIP: Wash pots and throw them in the trunk so they’ll be close by when you’re ready to drop them off.
Curbside recycling rules
In some cities, plant pots can be recycled at the curb. If your city does accept them, make sure the dirt has been cleaned off and they're dry before recycling.
Review our Household Guides for information about your local guidelines.
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