Ways to Recycle Plastic Water Bottles

Plastic water bottles are a major source of waste. They use petroleum in their creation, it takes more oil to transport them, and they create a great deal of pollution when dumped in landfills. Changing the way plastic water bottles are used is a simple way to reduce the environmental impact of them. Recycling these ubiquitous items can be done through recycling centers, or at home.

Recycling Centers

• Simply recycling plastic bottles helps the environment.

  The easiest way to recycle plastic water bottles is to take them to a recycling center and dispose of them there. After that point, the water bottles can be made into new bottles or reusable shopping and tote bags. The bottoms of most water bottles have a recycling symbol with a number in it. This number designates what type of recycling bin the bottle should be placed in at a recycling center.

Bath Toys

• Making a bath toy is fun for children.

  Purchase a few sheets of brightly colored water-proof foam and glue them around the water bottle, leaving the cap uncovered. Allow a child to decorate the foam with water-proof markers. The water bottle can be used as a bath or pool toy submarine; children can change the depth of the bottle by allowing more water into it and replacing the cap. Making toys from plastic bottles keeps the bottles out of landfills and is fun for kids. If your child is very small, throw away the cap before you let him or her have the bottle. Bottle caps are a choking hazard.

Starter Garden

• Plastic water bottles make good starter gardens.

  Cut a plastic water bottle in half and fill the bottom portion halfway with soil. Place seeds or seedlings in the bottle and moisten the soil daily. Beans, flowers, and other plants can get their start in recycled plastic bottles, which can be reused each spring or recycled at a recycling center after the plants have been transplanted to a garden.