Are Plastic Hangers Recyclable? Are Wire Hangers a Better Choice?

are plastic hangers recyclable

These days, our attitudes have changed, and we try to do what we can to sustain the planet and be more environmentally friendly. As such, more and more businesses are now looking at more sustainable ways to sell products, display their products and package their products. This can help us manage climate change and reduce waste. 

We all know that plastic containers, single use plastic and plastic bags are detrimental to the environment by now, and that plastic in general is a big no-no if we can avoid it. So, why do we avoid plastic, and are plastic hangers recyclable? Let’s find out. 

Why We Avoid Plastic

Plastic is an integral material used in our society. You’ll find plastic, whether big or small in many everyday objects and items that you use around the home. Whilst plastic can provide many benefits for modern day living, it takes thousands of years to decompose and biodegrade, making it a real problem for landfills simply by filling them up constantly. 

In addition, we use a lot of plastic in our lives, making it near impossible for it to degrade over time, as the pile keeps getting larger. What you may not know is that plastic production actually requires a massive amount of energy and resources, which contributes to the depletion of our planet and its resources. Producing plastic uses a lot of non renewable sources which results in an increase in greenhouse gas emissions. 

Plastic also often ends up in the world’s oceans and can harm wildlife or spread toxins in the water. Additionally, BPAs and toxins in the plastics have been known to contribute to cancers and health problems, and can be unsafe for use. 

The main issue is that a lot of plastic is meant for single-use such as food covers in supermarkets or plastic water bottles. This results in it being wasted and thrown in the trash.

Due to these issues, consumers try to reduce their plastic use as much as possible, and look to use plastics that are recyclable. So, what about plastic hangers? 

Are Plastic Hangers Recyclable

Let’s face it, the vast majority of us will use plastic hangers in our homes. Plastic hangers are the most popular and most common way people hang up their clothes in their closets to keep them stored neatly and tidily, without creasing.

But should we be using them? Are they recyclable? The flimsy nature and mass production of these hangers leads many of us to believe that plastic hangers are not recyclable. However, this is not always the case. 

You can look at local stores in your area that may accept plastic hangers, and will recycle them for you. For example, all Kohl’s locations currently recycle all plastic, hangers, glass and cardboard. 

Many businesses now offer recycling services where you can take old clothes, batteries and hangers to the store for them to either recycle themselves or send them off to be recycled in bulk. 

That is not often the case everywhere, so you may be stuck with lots of plastic hangers in your home. It is likely that your area does not allow you to put out plastic hangers with your recycling either.

It is best to check with a recycling center or company near you to see if you can recycle them there instead of leaving them in your curbside trash, as they could end up in a landfill.

If you do not want this to happen, then you can repurpose your plastic hangers yourself. You can do this by taking them to a local laundry who will always be looking for hangers, or give them to a dry cleaner. If your hangers are in great condition, then it could be worth donating them to charity for use in charity stores, group homes, crisis shelters and thrift stores. 

To summarize, plastic hangers are not always recyclable. It depends on the recycling program in your community, and whether you can take them to a store or center for recycling. If not, then you can always repurpose them or donate them to an organization in need. 

Plastic Hangers Alternatives

If you would like to cut down on waste and plastic in your life, then there are some alternatives that you can choose that are not made of plastic.

For instance, you can try using sustainable hangers such as bamboo, wood, card, biodegradable plastic hangers or wood pulp hangers. We recommend wooden hangers as these will break down over time and can be recycled. However, you can find hangers made from recyclable materials or perhaps cardboard ones.

If you’re looking for something stronger, then you can try using wire hangers. Whilst these ones cannot be recycled at a standard recycling bin as they may damage machinery, they can be recycled by scrap metal recycling centers. 

To simply cut down on plastic, try purchasing some eco-friendly hangers made from recycled post consumer plastic. Alternatively, you may want to add more shelves to your wardrobe or implement extra drawers to pull out and fill with your clothes. You’ll fit way more in your wardrobe and it’s more eco-friendly. 

Summary

To summarize, whether plastic hangers are recyclable depends on the recycling programs in your area. Generally speaking, plastic hangers are non recyclable, and contribute to the overproduction of plastics that have a negative impact on our planet. 

That being said, there are some stores such as Kohl’s that will take used hangers from you and send them to be recycled or used again, so that you are not wasting plastics that will end up in our overcrowded landfills. 

Therefore, you can either find a local business that will recycle them for you, or purchase more eco-friendly options such as bamboo hangers, cardboard hangers, or those made from recycled and recyclable materials so that you can lead a lifestyle that does not contribute to climate change or the depletion of the planet’s natural resources. 

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